Asia’s LNG imports set to reach three-month high in October

Asia’s liquefied natural gas imports are expected to climb to a three-month peak in October even as spot prices have surged to nearly four-year highs.

The region’s October arrivals are forecast at 23.31 million metric tons, the highest level since July’s 23.38 million, a Reuters report said citing a data from commodity analysts Kpler. This marks the second-strongest monthly total since the Middle East conflict began on February 28, when the US and Israel attacked Iran.

The war led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, preventing Qatar, which holds about 19% of global LNG market share as the world’s second-largest exporter, from shipping most cargoes to Asian and European buyers.

China, the world’s largest importer of the super-chilled fuel, is driving the October increase. Kpler projects Chinese arrivals of 5.47 million tons, up from 5.20 million in September, making it the third-strongest month in 2026.

This story was originally published by Hellenic Shipping News. Read the full story at Hellenic Shipping News →