Greece's Alexandroupolis FSRU adds capacity, takes first LNG cargo since shutdown

Gastrade has expanded regasification capacity two times over the course of a month and has now taken the first LNG cargo at floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) Alexandroupolis.

The Greek LNG import terminal doubled its operational regasification capacity in September from 45.4 GWh/day to 90.8 GWh/day and then increased capacity by the same rate again on 21 October 2025, to 136.2 GWh/day. 

Gastrade confirmed it had resumed unloading and regasification services at Greece’s Alexandroupolis LNG Terminal in August 2025, but had not taken an LNG cargo. The facility’s first cargo has now reportedly arrived, with a shipment from the US carried by France’s TotalEnergies that is destined for Bulgarian state-owned energy player Bulgargaz.

Bulgargaz said it had contracted TotalEnergies, Metlen Energy & Metals and Shell for US-loaded cargoes in October and December of 2025 and January and March of 2026. The four contracted cargoes total 4M MWh of LNG.

According to Gastrade, the 45.4 GWh/day capacity limit was set to be in place until 30 September 2025, "under specific operational and commercial conditions", but was doubled from 12 September 2025.

"The present 25% limitation of the terminal’s nominal capacity will be lifted at the start of the new gas year, on 1 October 2025, whereas certain operational restrictions may remain for a limited period thereafter," the company said in August.

As Riviera reported in January, Greece’s LNG imports hit a record high at the start of the year. In 2024, Russia had ranked second behind the US as a key LNG supplier. However, DESFA data shows this dynamic has shifted significantly in 2025.

Meanwhile, imports via the Alexandroupolis FSRU had reached just 1.0 TWh by 22 January, when regasification services at the terminal were temporarily suspended. Gastrade said in July 2025 that the FSRU was expected to gradually resume full operations starting in mid-August.

The Alexandroupolis FSRU-based LNG terminal began operations in Q4 2024 with several months of commissioning.

FSRU Alexandroupolis arrived from Singapore on 17 December 2023, after an extensive conversion process at Seatrium in Singapore. Originally a GasLog LNG carrier, the unit underwent a 10-month transformation, a project valued at approximately US$386M.

The FSRU can store 153,500 m³ of LNG and has a regasification capacity of 23M m³ per day, contributing significantly to the Greek national gas transmission system with an annual capacity of approximately 5.5Bn m³.

The terminal is strategically connected to the Greek National Natural Gas Transmission System via a 28-km subsea and onshore pipeline, enhancing the flow of natural gas to countries in southeast Europe including Bulgaria, Romania and extending further to the Balkans and eastern Europe.