Liquefied natural gas imports into Asia strengthened last week as higher seasonal temperatures across the region increased power demand for air conditioning, while European LNG shipments declined further amid weaker import incentives, Vortexa strategists said in a Monday note.
Vortexa analysts said total LNG arrivals into Asia reached 4.8 million metric tons across 79 cargoes, about 5% above the region's four-week average.
China led the increase, receiving 1.3 million mt in 22 cargoes, its highest weekly intake since Q1. South Korea imported 600,000 mt through nine cargoes, rebounding from the previous week, while India's imports rose to 500,000 mt across nine cargoes.
India received its first LNG cargo originating west of the Strait of Hormuz since March. Pakistan also received a Qatari cargo aboard the Fuwairit tanker, marking its third Qatari LNG delivery in May.
The arbitrage opportunity for flexible Atlantic Basin LNG cargoes to Asia remained open, with Asian spot LNG prices trading at an average premium of about $2 per million British thermal units over European prices last week.
Vortexa said European LNG imports fell to 1.7 million mt across 30 cargoes, over 10% below the continent's four-week average.
France's imports recovered to 300,000 mt after reaching their lowest level of the year in the previous week, although maintenance at the Montoir regasification terminal continues to limit activity. Spain's imports dropped sharply to 100,000 mt, their weakest level since Q4 2025.
Spain remained Europe's largest buyer of Russian LNG in May, importing 600,000 mt, accounting for more than 40% of its monthly LNG intake.
Elsewhere, Vortexa said imports from Russia's Yamal LNG facility totaled 1.6 million mt in May, close to the record levels seen in March despite sanctions on spot Russian LNG purchases that took effect in late April.
EU gas storage facilities were 40% full at the end of last week, 14 percentage points below the five-year average, while LNG send-out rates averaged about 3,600 gigawatt-hours per day.
Meanwhile, vessel tracking data indicated that LNG shipments continued to transit the Strait of Hormuz despite regional tensions.
Vortexa said an Adnoc vessel loaded cargo at the UAE's Das Island terminal after making a "dark" transit through the Strait of Hormuz with its tracking system switched off.
Another Adnoc-operated tanker vessel reappeared in the Gulf of Oman after loading at Das Island and is expected to arrive at India's Dabhol terminal on June 4.
However, LNG exports in the US remained subdued. Vortexa said weekly loadings totaled 2.3 million mt across 32 cargoes, unchanged from the previous week.
The planned maintenance at the Freeport and Cameron export terminals has weighed on output, while the new Golden Pass facility has not loaded a cargo for more than three weeks.
Feedgas deliveries to US LNG plants have recently recovered, however, and the QatarEnergy-controlled tanker Barzan is expected to arrive this week to load what would be Golden Pass's third cargo.