International.
Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) increased its share of the global trade in seaborne gas in 2014. Volumes increased by 2.5%, bringing the total to 333 billion cubic meters.
The growth was driven by increased import demand in China, India, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Mexico. Japan, the world's largest importer, increased imports by 1.4 per cent, while the Republic of Korea, the second largest importer, recorded a decline of 5.7 per cent. Increased import demand in the development of Asia and the Americas was supported by growth in demand for power generation, petrochemical and heating, as well as expanded regasification capacity in China and India.
Some observers predict that volumes of liquid natural gas will double by 2020, with Australia emerging as a leading exporter in the world, along with other producers, such as the Russian Federation, the United States, Canada and East Africa. These developments will affect gas transport demand and LNG trade flows and patterns.
It is estimated that world trade in LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) has increased by 12.7% in 2014 to reach 71 million tons. The growth was largely supported by the expansion of shale production in U.S. and LPG exports. LPG imports into China and India held firm and contributed to elevating long-haul operations and helping to absorb more gas transport capacity.
