Germany increases Russian LNG imports via EU channels
Germany continues to play a pivotal role in importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia into the European Union, as highlighted in a report released on Tuesday, January 28, by the German environmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH).
According to the document, the state-owned German energy company SEFE imported over six times more LNG to the EU last year compared to 2023.
The data were provided by the analytics company Kpler. These figures reveal that 5.66 billion cubic meters of LNG imported by SEFE were delivered to the French port of Dunkirk on the English Channel.
According to the European Commission, 20 billion cubic meters of Russian LNG were imported into the EU in 2024, up from 18 billion the previous year. However, Kpler's data suggest that the volumes reached nearly 22 billion cubic meters in 2024, compared to 18.41 billion cubic meters in 2023. The primary source of LNG for the EU remains the United States.
As reported by the European Commission, the leading LNG importers in the EU include France, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy. Gas entering through the terminals in these countries is blended with other gases within the gas transmission system and subsequently supplied to Germany, among others.
Despite numerous EU sanctions against Russian energy sources such as coal and oil, LNG from Russia continues to be imported into European Union countries. The sanctions specifically prohibit investments in new LNG projects in Russia, the use of EU ports for LNG transshipment to third countries, and imports through terminals not connected to the EU gas network.
The state-owned company SEFE (Securing Energy for Europe GmbH) continues its LNG imports into France under an existing contract. As EU sanctions do not cover the import of Russian LNG, there is no legal basis for terminating or suspending old contracts with Russian suppliers. The company explained that even if they refuse to accept the gas, they would be required to pay for the volumes, allowing suppliers to resell these volumes and bolster the Russian economy.
The LNG received by SEFE in Dunkirk is sold on trading platforms in France and Belgium. SEFE claims it does not supply Russian LNG to Germany and has not attempted to do so. However, determining how much of the gas entering France eventually reaches the German gas network is impossible, according to the report.
Estimates by DUH and other organizations suggest that Russian LNG accounted for between 3% and 9.2% of Germany's total gas imports in 2023. These estimates were based on analyzing gas flows between France, Belgium, and Germany. However, the EU gas market's lack of transparency allows the origin of Russian gas to remain obscured, the report notes.