Maritime Industry Briefing: Italy Leads EU LNG Imports as Saudi Tankers Reroute Around Africa

## Italy Surges to Top of EU LNG Import Rankings Italy has become the European Union's leading importer of liquefied natural gas, according to gCaptain, with the country's government-backed incentive programmes driving continued cargo purchases through July even as prices remained elevated. While Italy pressed ahead with LNG procurement, neighbouring European nations pulled back on costly purchases, allowing their storage levels to fall behind. The development underscores a growing divergence in energy strategy across the bloc, with Italy's proactive approach to energy security — accelerated following the disruption of Russian pipeline gas supplies — positioning it as a key LNG hub on the continent. The trend highlights the ongoing tension European buyers face between securing adequate gas reserves ahead of the winter heating season and managing the financial burden of persistently high LNG spot prices. Italy's willingness to absorb those costs, supported by state mechanisms, has set it apart from more price-sensitive neighbours. --- ## Saudi Tankers Opt for Cape of Good Hope Route Amid Red Sea Threats In a significant development reflecting the continued disruption to Red Sea shipping, six Saudi oil tankers have been observed diverting away from the Bab el-Mandeb strait and embarking on the considerably longer voyage around the Cape of Good Hope, according to gCaptain. The move is described as unusual for Saudi vessels, which would ordinarily transit the Red Sea chokepoint as the most direct route for northbound and westbound crude shipments. The diversion adds thousands of nautical miles — and substantial additional voyage time and fuel costs — to each journey. Houthi rebel attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea have forced a broad recalculation of risk across the tanker and container shipping sectors since late 2023. The decision by Saudi operators to reroute their own national fleet signals that even state-affiliated carriers are no longer willing to accept the security risks associated with the strait. The rerouting of Saudi tankers is likely to have knock-on effects for global crude supply logistics, potentially tightening available tanker capacity on key trade lanes and adding upward pressure on freight rates for vessels trading in the region. --- *Sources: gCaptain. Non-maritime items from the PR Newswire feed have been excluded from this briefing.*