Greece’s DEPA delivers LNG cargo to Bulgartransgaz

Greek energy company DEPA Commercial has completed the shipment of an LNG cargo to Bulgaria’s state-run energy firm Bulgartransgaz, DEPA announced on August 4.

The cargo contained 500 GWh of LNG and was delivered to the Bulgarian firm at the Alexandroupolis Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) located in eastern Greece.

The cargo of the super-chilled fuel was purchased by Bulgartransgaz in a supply tender made in late April through the organised exchange market on the platform of the Balkan Gas Hub after DEPA offered the most competitive price.

Initially in its tender, Bulgartransgaz had sought to buy about 1.5 mn MWh of LNG to cover the remainder of the current gas year and the next, ranging from July 2026 to September 2027.

The LNG cargo delivery represented the first time Bulgaria’s Gas transmission system operator utilized super-cooled gas to meet the energy requirements of the country’s natural gas transmission system.

Bulgartransgaz holds a stake 20% stake in Alexandroupolis FSRU as the southeastern European country relies on regional LNG infrastructure to meet demand. 

DEPA Commercial also possesses a 20% interest in Alexandroupolis FSRU. Equal sized interests are also held in the FSRU by GasLog, Elmina Copelouzou, and DESFA.

Alexandroupolis LNG boasts a regasification capacity of around 5.5 bn cubic metres (bcm) per year and serves as a key entry point for non-Russian gas into the Balkans.

The facility is tied to the country’s gas grid via a 28-km pipeline. It also connects directly with the Greece–Bulgaria interconnector (IGB), allowing gas to flow north into Bulgaria and further into markets such as Romania, Serbia, and potentially Ukraine.

The FSRU launched in February 2024 as part of Athens’ push to turn Greece into a regional gas hub. The facility has been popular among LNG buyers, with almost all of the terminal’s capacity booked until 2030.