US becomes Germany's main supplier of liquefied natural gas

Germany is further strengthening its dependence on liquefied natural gas from the United States, through a new major agreement signed between Berlin importer Sefe and American energy giant Venture Global, according to an article published yesterday by Berliner Zeitung. This partnership officially transforms the American company into Germany's largest LNG supplier, in a context in which the continent continues to rewrite its energy strategy following the war in Ukraine and the collapse of the relationship with traditional supplier, Russia.

The decision comes at a time when Germany, in the midst of rebuilding its energy infrastructure, is increasingly relying on LNG imports to secure its supply. In 2024, 91% of the amount of LNG imported by Germany came from the US, according to data provided by BDEW and presented by Berliner Zeitung. The new agreement signed with Sefe - the former Gazprom Germany, which has since been nationalized - provides for the delivery of an additional 0.75 million tons of LNG annually, over a period of 20 years, from Venture Global's CP2 project, thus raising the total contractual volume to three million tons per year.

This development strengthens Venture Global's position as a dominant player in the German liquefied gas market, after the American company has already delivered almost 80 LNG cargoes, enough to supply eight million German households for a year. Venture Global CEO Mike Sabel told the cited source that the new agreement marks a strategic commitment that will guarantee energy security and affordability not only for Germany, but also for the entire European continent, at a time when the stability of supply is becoming a matter of national security.

However, this massive shift towards LNG is not without its controversies and challenges, the Berliner Zeitung journalists report, who point out that the infrastructure needed for the regasification and distribution of LNG in Germany is still only partially operational, as only three of the five planned terminals are actually operating. Furthermore, the goal of covering a third of gas consumption with LNG seems distant, as in 2024 this type of gas only represented around 8% of total deliveries. Furthermore, the management of existing resources is raising questions after it was discovered that the vessel "Energos Force”, part of the fleet owned by the German state through Deutsche Energy Terminal, was sub-leased to an Egyptian company instead of serving the national grid in the port of Stade, as originally planned.

While the federal government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces increasing pressure to diversify its energy sources and reduce geopolitical dependencies, this new agreement could have lasting consequences. Experts warn that if US protectionist energy policies intensify, Germany risks replacing one dangerous dependency with another, this time from across the Atlantic. However, in the face of an uncertain winter and volatile markets, Berlin seems determined to play the American card, strengthening its energy ties with the US through a partnership that will fundamentally shape Germany's energy future.