In H1 2026, the EU received 9.97 million tonnes of Yamal LNG, accounting for 97% of global shipments, while China saw a significant decline.
European Union terminals received 9.97 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas from Russia's Yamal LNG project in the first half of 2026, up 16 per cent from a year earlier, reports Saint Petersburg's PortNews.
The bloc took 136 of the 140 cargoes shipped globally between January and June, accounting for more than 97 per cent of deliveries. China received the remaining four cargoes totalling 282,248 tonnes, down sharply from 25 cargoes and 1.80 million tonnes in the same period last year.
France was the largest EU destination with 51 cargoes and 3.74 million tonnes. Belgium imported 37 cargoes totalling 2.70 million tonnes, Spain received 34 cargoes with 2.50 million tonnes, the Netherlands took 12 cargoes with 881,970 tonnes, and Portugal received two cargoes carrying 147,170 tonnes.
Belgium's Zeebrugge terminal handled 37 cargoes, making it the largest single receiving point. France's Dunkerque and Montoir followed with 26 and 25 cargoes respectively, while Bilbao in Spain received 17 and Rotterdam's Gate terminal took 12.
Campaign group Urgewald estimated that the EU paid EUR5.96 billion (US$6.5 billion) for the volumes, based on Dutch TTF benchmark prices and an energy conversion of 13.7 megawatt-hours per tonne. The figure was described as indicative and does not reflect contract discounts, shipping, regasification, or trading costs.
The EU banned new Russian gas contracts from 18 March 2026 and short-term LNG imports from 25 April. Existing long-term contracts remain valid until a full prohibition takes effect at the start of 2027.
Yamal LNG, based on Russia's South-Tambeyskoye field, has a nameplate capacity of 17.4 million tonnes per year. Novatek holds 50.1 per cent, while France's TotalEnergies and China National Petroleum Corporation each own 20 per cent, and China's Silk Road Fund holds 9.9 per cent.
