The state-owned German energy company SEFE continued to play a central role in importing liquefied natural gas from Russia into the European Union.

This is according to the analysis released on Tuesday.

Environmental Action Germany and other environmental organisations reported that SEFE imported more than six times as much LNG into the EU in 2024 compared to 2023.

Based on data provided by trade intelligence company Kpler, 5.66 billion cubic metres of LNG imported by SEFE arrived in Dunkirk, France, on the English Channel.

Since Moscow launched its war on Ukraine in February 2022, EU countries have banned imports of coal and, with some exemptions, crude oil from Russia and pledged to reduce other fossil fuel imports.

According to the EU Commission, 20 billion cubic metres of Russian LNG were imported in 2024, compared to 18 billion in 2023.

According to the Brussels-based commission, most of the liquefied natural gas in the EU originates from the U.S..

Kpler’s data suggests it was nearly 22 billion cubic metres in 2024, compared to 18.41 billion cubic metres in 2023.

SEFE is a former subsidiary of the Russian energy group Gazprom, which the German government now owns.

The abbreviation stands for “Securing Energy for Europe.’’

As Europe had not imposed sanctions on Russian LNG imports, SEFE said there was no legal basis for cancelling or suspending an existing contract.

The LNG import in Dunkirk is sold at two trading venues in France and Belgium, SEFE said.

“SEFE does not deliver Russian LNG to Germany, nor has it attempted to deliver it there,’’ the company said. 

(dpa/NAN)