New North China Regasification Point - Longkou LNG
China has commissioned the Longkou LNG regasification terminal in Shandong province, located on the country's northern coastline close to major port cities as Yantai and Dalian. The facility adds a new discharge point to what Wood Mackenzie's VesselTracker already monitors as one of the most dense LNG import networks globally, with over 15 active Chinese terminals under tracking coverage.
In 2026 alone, China has received LNG from the following export origins: Australia, the Russian Federation, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Canada. These represent the top five suppliers by facility activity in June 2026 according to Wood Mackenzie's voyage tracking, underscoring the breadth of sourcing that Chinese importers now maintain across both Pacific and Atlantic basins.
Guangxi LNG as a Precedent
Longkou is not the first Chinese terminal where VesselTracker has captured early-stage import patterns. At the Guanxi LNG facility, Wood Mackenzie has tracked an average of 4 vessel arrivals per month, all originating from Russian Federation loading points. June 2026 recorded the highest number of arrivals at Guanxi to date, consistent with summer seasonal maximisation of Russian LNG deliveries via shorter Arctic-adjacent routes.
Longkou's Potential Role
Given its northern position, Longkou could receive Russian LNG cargoes during summer navigation windows when the Northern Sea Route is accessible to ice-class carriers. However, no confirmed Russian loadings at the terminal have been observed to date, and the facility's commercial strategy has not been publicly linked to a single-origin supply arrangement. Its role will become clearer as discharge patterns accumulate in tracking data over the coming months.
Wood Mackenzie's VesselTracker currently shows approximately 30 LNG vessels either sailing toward Chinese ports or actively discharging at Chinese terminals as of mid-July, making China the largest single-country LNG importer by active vessel count.
For near-term LNG market dynamics and comprehensive fundamental data, connect with Wood Mackenzie's LNG Short-term Analytics or sign up for VesselTracker.
