METLEN, together with its International Energy Supply & Trading Pillar, has achieved another strategic milestone with the arrival of its first U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo in Alexandroupolis, destined to supply the Bulgarian market. As the largest private natural gas consumer and trader in the region, and one of the leading LNG importers in Greece, METLEN ensures critical supply routes across the Balkans - from Bulgaria and Romania to neighboring markets.
Mr. Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, Chief Executive Director, International Energy Supply & Trading at METLEN, stated: "METLEN marks a significant milestone with the arrival of its first U.S. LNG cargo at the Alexandroupolis FSRU, destined for export to Bulgaria. We are proud to hold a leading position in LNG imports across Southeastern Europe. Since 2010, we have consistently supplied the Greek market and, in 2018, became the first company to import LNG via Revythoussa and export it to Bulgaria. Over the years, we have demonstrated Greece’s role as a real energy hub, as well as METLEN’s pivotal role in delivering reliable and competitive LNG throughout the Balkans and beyond. Today, with the introduction of this U.S.-sourced cargo for the Bulgarian market, our long-standing partnership with Bulgargaz grows even stronger, as we continue contributing to regional energy security with reliability."
This development confirms METLEN’s role as a key pillar of energy security in Southeastern Europe. The company’s collaboration with the Bulgarian state-owned company Bulgargaz is among the region’s most stable and long-term cross-border energy partnerships. It began in 2018, when gas flows from Greece to Bulgaria were first executed on behalf of Bulgargaz, opening a new energy corridor in Southeastern Europe. Since then, METLEN has become a strategic supplier of LNG, natural gas, and integrated energy services to the Bulgarian market, playing a decisive role in ensuring the country’s supply security. Leveraging its international LNG presence since 2010, its extensive partner network, and its expertise in managing the entire supply chain, METLEN consistently provides Bulgargaz with competitive terms, benefiting end consumers.
METLEN maintains a strong and measurable footprint in the regional natural gas and LNG markets, representing approximately 35% of total demand in Greece and Bulgaria, while covering nearly 50% of Greece’s total LNG imports via the Revythoussa Terminal. Simultaneously, the company actively supplies LNG and natural gas to third parties in critical markets across the Atlantic Basin, Northwestern Europe, and the Mediterran.
