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    Golden Pass LNG Ships Inaugural Cargo to Zeebrugge, Belgium - News and Statistics
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    Golden Pass LNG Ships Inaugural Cargo to Zeebrugge, Belgium – News and Statistics

    Apr 26, 2026

    The inaugural cargo from the Golden Pass LNG terminal has been shipped, with data from S&P Global Commodities at Sea indicating its destination is the Zeebrugge LNG import terminal in Belgium. The shipment departed on April 22 aboard the vessel Al Qaiyyah, which was expected to reach the Belgian regasification facility on May 8. This marks a significant milestone for the ninth major LNG export terminal in the United States.

    According to seven Atlantic-based LNG traders consulted by Platts, the cargo—loaded by Golden Pass majority owner QatarEnergy—could help offset some of the supply reductions from QatarEnergy’s Ras Laffan facilities, which have been curtailed due to the ongoing Middle East conflict. Three market participants identified Italy’s Eni as the likely buyer of the cargo.

    QatarEnergy has historically been the main supplier to Zeebrugge and remains the dominant capacity holder at the terminal. Qatar previously identified Belgium as one of two European countries directly impacted by Iranian attacks on its LNG facilities in March, with Italy being the other.

    The arrival of this cargo comes as Atlantic LNG players have sold five prompt regasification slots on the secondary market, as DES LNG-TTF spreads remain unprofitable for some Northwest European terminals, according to LNG traders.

    Eni, QatarEnergy, and the Golden Pass joint venture did not respond to requests for comment on April 23. ExxonMobil declined to discuss commercial details. In a statement on April 23, QatarEnergy described the export of the first cargo as an important step toward full commercial and export operations. Saad al-Kaabi, QatarEnergy’s CEO and the Qatari energy minister, said the shipment marked a new chapter in the company’s global efforts to meet rising LNG demand and ensure reliable supplies.

    Iranian missile strikes in mid-March on QatarEnergy’s LNG facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City damaged two large liquefaction trains, taking about 17% of the supplier’s export capacity offline for three to five years. Those trains represent roughly 12.8 million metric tons per year of capacity. Following the attacks, QatarEnergy stated that the damage would affect China, South Korea, Italy, and Belgium, and that it would be forced to declare force majeure for up to five years on some long-term contracts.

    The ongoing conflict continues to constrain transits of the Strait of Hormuz, keeping global LNG spot prices elevated and volatile. The waterway normally accounts for about 20% of global LNG supply, primarily from Qatar.

    The start of exports from the three-train Golden Pass project, which will have the capacity to produce about 18.1 million metric tons per year, could offer some relief to the global LNG market. However, it would not come close to offsetting the more than 80 million metric tons that transited through the Strait of Hormuz in 2025.

    Golden Pass owners did not provide an update on the timeline for Train 2 and Train 3 coming online. On April 22, Golden Pass said commissioning and construction continue on both trains, which are expected to come online in turn following stable operation of Train 1. S&P Global Energy CERA analysts expect Train 2 to start commercial operations in the fourth quarter of 2026, with Train 3 reaching that milestone in the second quarter of 2027.

    The Golden Pass project reached a final investment decision in early 2019 but experienced significant delays and cost overruns, culminating in the 2024 bankruptcy of lead contractor Zachry Group, which added to the delays. The project achieved first LNG production on March 30.

    Platts assessed the June Platts JKM benchmark for LNG delivered to Northeast Asia at $17.127 per million British thermal units on April 23, up $1.105 per MMBtu and nearly 7% from the prior assessment, standing about 60% higher than prewar levels. In the Atlantic Basin, the DES Northwest Europe marker for June was assessed at $14.75 per MMBtu on April 23, rising about 1% day over day but still almost 50% higher than before the conflict. The FOB Gulf Coast Marker was assessed at $13.65 per MMBtu on April 23, up 19 cents day on day, and 45% higher than prewar levels from February 27.

    1. 1. INTRODUCTION

      Making Data-Driven Decisions to Grow Your Business

      1. REPORT DESCRIPTION
      2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND THE AI PLATFORM
      3. DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS
      4. GLOSSARY AND SPECIFIC TERMS
    2. 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

      A Quick Overview of Market Performance

      1. KEY FINDINGS
      2. MARKET TRENDSThis Chapter is Available Only for the Professional EditionPRO
    3. 3. MARKET OVERVIEW

      Understanding the Current State of The Market and its Prospects

      1. MARKET SIZE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
      2. MARKET STRUCTURE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
      3. TRADE BALANCE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
      4. PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
      5. MARKET FORECAST TO 2035
    4. 4. MOST PROMISING PRODUCTS FOR DIVERSIFICATION

      Finding New Products to Diversify Your Business

      1. TOP PRODUCTS TO DIVERSIFY YOUR BUSINESS
      2. BEST-SELLING PRODUCTS
      3. MOST CONSUMED PRODUCTS
      4. MOST TRADED PRODUCTS
      5. MOST PROFITABLE PRODUCTS FOR EXPORTS
    5. 5. MOST PROMISING SUPPLYING COUNTRIES

      Choosing the Best Countries to Establish Your Sustainable Supply Chain

      1. TOP COUNTRIES TO SOURCE YOUR PRODUCT
      2. TOP PRODUCING COUNTRIES
      3. TOP EXPORTING COUNTRIES
      4. LOW-COST EXPORTING COUNTRIES
    6. 6. MOST PROMISING OVERSEAS MARKETS

      Choosing the Best Countries to Boost Your Export

      1. TOP OVERSEAS MARKETS FOR EXPORTING YOUR PRODUCT
      2. TOP CONSUMING MARKETS
      3. UNSATURATED MARKETS
      4. TOP IMPORTING MARKETS
      5. MOST PROFITABLE MARKETS
    7. 7. PRODUCTION

      The Latest Trends and Insights into The Industry

      1. PRODUCTION VOLUME AND VALUE: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
    8. 8. IMPORTS

      The Largest Import Supplying Countries

      1. IMPORTS: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
      2. IMPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025)
      3. IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025)
    9. 9. EXPORTS

      The Largest Destinations for Exports

      1. EXPORTS: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025) AND FORECAST (2026–2035)
      2. EXPORTS BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025)
      3. EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY: HISTORICAL DATA (2012–2025)
    10. 10. PROFILES OF MAJOR PRODUCERS

      The Largest Producers on The Market and Their Profiles

    11. LIST OF TABLES
      1. Key Findings In 2025
      2. Market Volume, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      3. Market Value: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      4. Per Capita Consumption: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      5. Imports, In Physical Terms, By Country, 2012–2025
      6. Imports, In Value Terms, By Country, 2012–2025
      7. Import Prices, By Country, 2012–2025
      8. Exports, In Physical Terms, By Country, 2012–2025
      9. Exports, In Value Terms, By Country, 2012–2025
      10. Export Prices, By Country, 2012–2025
    12. LIST OF FIGURES
      1. Market Volume, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      2. Market Value: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      3. Market Structure – Domestic Supply vs. Imports, in Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      4. Market Structure – Domestic Supply vs. Imports, in Value Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      5. Trade Balance, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      6. Trade Balance, In Value Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      7. Per Capita Consumption: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      8. Market Volume Forecast to 2035
      9. Market Value Forecast to 2035
      10. Market Size and Growth, By Product
      11. Average Per Capita Consumption, By Product
      12. Exports and Growth, By Product
      13. Export Prices and Growth, By Product
      14. Production Volume and Growth
      15. Exports and Growth
      16. Export Prices and Growth
      17. Market Size and Growth
      18. Per Capita Consumption
      19. Imports and Growth
      20. Import Prices
      21. Production, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      22. Production, In Value Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      23. Imports, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      24. Imports, In Value Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      25. Imports, In Physical Terms, By Country, 2025
      26. Imports, In Physical Terms, By Country, 2012–2025
      27. Imports, In Value Terms, By Country, 2012–2025
      28. Import Prices, By Country, 2012–2025
      29. Exports, In Physical Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      30. Exports, In Value Terms: Historical Data (2012–2025) and Forecast (2026–2035)
      31. Exports, In Physical Terms, By Country, 2025
      32. Exports, In Physical Terms, By Country, 2012–2025
      33. Exports, In Value Terms, By Country, 2012–2025
      34. Export Prices, By Country, 2012–2025

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