Metlen and its International Energy Supply & Trading division marked another milestone with the arrival of their first U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo in Alexandroupolis, intended to meet the needs of the Bulgarian market.

As the largest private consumer and trader of natural gas in the region, and one of the largest importers of natural gas and LNG in Greece, Metlen ensures critical supply routes throughout the Balkans—from Bulgaria and Romania to neighboring markets, the company stated.

Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, Chief Executive Director of International Energy Supply & Trading at Metlen, said:

“Metlen reaches 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 in Southeastern Europe. Since 2010, we have been consistently supplying the Greek market, and in 2018, we 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 and Metlen’s leading role in ensuring reliable and competitive LNG across the Balkans and beyond. Today, with the import of U.S.-sourced LNG for the Bulgarian market, our long-term cooperation with Bulgargaz is strengthened as we continue to contribute reliably to regional energy security.”

Pillar of Energy Security

This achievement reinforces Metlen’s role as a key pillar of energy security in Southeastern Europe, the company emphasized. Its partnership with the Bulgarian state-owned company Bulgargaz is among the region’s most stable and long-standing cross-border energy collaborations.

The cooperation began in 2018, when gas flows from Greece to Bulgaria were conducted for the first time on behalf of Bulgargaz, establishing 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, significantly contributing to the country’s supply security. Leveraging its international presence in the LNG market since 2010, its extensive network of partners, and expertise in managing the entire supply chain, Metlen consistently offers Bulgargaz competitive terms for the benefit of end consumers.

Metlen has a strong and measurable footprint in the regional natural gas and LNG market, representing roughly 35% of total demand in Greece and Bulgaria and covering nearly 50% of Greece’s total LNG imports via the Revythoussa Terminal.

Additionally, the company is actively supplying LNG and natural gas to third parties in key markets across the Atlantic Basin, Northwestern Europe, and the Mediterranean, maintaining a reliable and competitive presence while continuously strengthening its upstream operations through new medium- and long-term LNG supply agreements.