AsiaLNG Terminals

China’s May LNG imports up 19 percent

By Mirza Duran
Q-Flex vessel at the ENN Zhoushan LNG terminal in China
Q-Flex vessel at the ENN Zhoushan LNG terminal in China

China, the world’s largest energy consumer, boosted its imports of liquefied natural gas by 19 per cent in May.

LNG imports totalled 5.23 million tonnes last month, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Tuesday.

In the January-May period, the country imported 25.48 million tonnes of chilled fuel, a year-on-year rise of 7 per cent.

On the other side, China’s pipeline gas imports dropped 16.6 per cent to 2.61 million tonnes.

In the five-month period, piped imports reached 4.75 million tonnes, down 30 per cent, the data shows.

China is currently the world’s second-largest importer of LNG behind Japan but this could change this year.

Japan’s May LNG imports dropped almost 19 per cent to 4.51 million tonnes as the Covid-19 pandemic stopped economic activity.

This represented an 11-year low in monthly volumes and a fifth monthly drop in volumes this year.

Most Popular

LNG as Fuel

TotalEnergies, CMA CGM get EU OK for LNG bunkering JV

French energy giant TotalEnergies and compatriot shipping firm CMA CGM have received approval from the European Commission to form a 50/50 logistics joint venture and operate an LNG bunkering supply solution at the Dutch port of Rotterdam.
LNG Terminals

Atlantic spot LNG rates dip to $20,000 per day

Atlantic spot LNG shipping rates continued to decrease this week, dropping to $20,000 per day, according to Spark Commodities.
Contracts and Tenders

Uniper, Equinor seal long-term gas supply deal

German energy and LNG firm Uniper has signed a long-term deal with Norway's Equinor for the supply of natural gas to Germany.

More News Like This

LNG Terminals

CNOOC’s Binhai LNG terminal hits new milestone

China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) has reached a new milestone at its giant Binhai liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in Jiangsu.
LNG Terminals

China’s LNG imports up 2.4 percent in July

China, the world’s largest importer of liquefied natural gas, reported a 2.4 percent year-on-year increase in LNG imports in July.
LNG Terminals

China’s gas imports slightly down in July

China’s natural gas imports, including pipeline gas and LNG, dropped slightly in July compared with the same month in 2025, according to customs data.
LNG Terminals

PipeChina’s Tianjin LNG terminal gets 500th cargo

State-owned LNG terminal operator China Oil and Gas Pipeline Network (PipeChina) has received the 500th liquefied natural gas shipment at its LNG import terminal in the northern port city of Tianjin near Beijing.