The first US LNG cargo to meet Bulgarian market needs has arrived at the Alexandroupolis FSRU via Metlen Energy & Metals, which is the largest private natural gas and LNG consumer and trader in the region. “Metlen achieves a significant milestone with the arrival of its first LNG cargo from the US at the Alexandroupolis FSRU, destined for export to Bulgaria. We are proud to hold a leading position in LNG imports in Southeast Europe,” said Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, Chief Executive Director, International Energy Supply & Trading of the group.
Read: AKTOR: January revelations for major LNG deals – What Alexandros Exarchou said
Metlen Energy & Metals announcement
METLEN and its International Energy Supply & Trading Division achieved another first with the arrival in Alexandroupolis of the first US liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo to meet Bulgarian market needs. As the largest private natural gas consumer and trader in the region and one of the largest natural gas and LNG importers in Greece, METLEN secures critical supply routes throughout the Balkans, from Bulgaria and Romania to neighboring markets.
Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, Chief Executive Director, International Energy Supply & Trading at METLEN, stated: “METLEN achieves a significant milestone with the arrival of its first US LNG cargo at the Alexandroupolis FSRU destined for export to Bulgaria. We are proud to hold a leading position in LNG imports in Southeast Europe. Since 2010, we have steadily supplied the Greek market and, in 2018, became the first company to import LNG through Revithoussa and export it to Bulgaria. Throughout all these years, we have demonstrated in practice Greece’s role as a true energy hub, as well as METLEN’s leading role in securing reliable and competitive LNG throughout the Balkans and beyond. Today, with the import of US-origin cargo to serve the Bulgarian market, our long-term cooperation with Bulgargaz becomes even stronger as we continue to contribute to regional energy security with reliability.”
This development confirms the company’s role as a key pillar of energy security in Southeast Europe. METLEN’s cooperation with Bulgarian state company Bulgargaz represents one of the most stable and long-term cross-border energy partnerships in the region. It began in 2018 when natural gas flows from Greece to Bulgaria were first implemented on behalf of Bulgargaz, opening a new energy corridor in Southeast Europe. Since then, METLEN has evolved into a strategic LNG, natural gas, and integrated energy services supplier for the Bulgarian market, contributing decisively to the country’s supply security. Leveraging its international presence in the LNG market since 2010, its extensive partner network, and expertise in managing the entire supply chain, METLEN consistently offers Bulgargaz competitive terms for the benefit of end consumers.
METLEN has a strong and measurable footprint in the regional natural gas and LNG market, representing approximately 35% of total demand in Greece and Bulgaria, while covering nearly 50% of Greece’s total LNG imports through the Revithoussa Terminal Station. Additionally, it operates dynamically as an LNG and natural gas supplier to third parties in critical markets across the Atlantic basin, Northwest Europe, and the Mediterranean, with reliable and competitive presence, while continuously strengthening the upstream aspect of its activities with new medium-term and long-term LNG supply agreements.
