Atlantic SEE LNG Secures Regional Deals, Anchoring U.S. Gas

New contracts reinforce the role of the Vertical Gas Corridor, channeling U.S. LNG landed in Greece northward into Central and Southeastern Europe.

Mar. 2, 2026 at 5:55pm

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Atlantic SEE LNG Trade, a joint venture owned by Greece's AKTOR Group and DEPA Commercial, has signed four long-term LNG supply agreements with counterparties in Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ukraine during a ministerial summit in Washington. The new contracts reinforce the role of the Vertical Gas Corridor, which connects Greek energy infrastructure with Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine, in transporting U.S. LNG imports into Central and Southeastern European markets.

Why it matters

The agreements highlight how U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG), once viewed as a supplementary source, is increasingly being woven into Europe's core post-Russian supply framework. The deals also position Atlantic SEE LNG Trade as a key commercial channel for U.S. LNG into the Vertical Gas Corridor, which is seen as a strategic decision by Greece to function as a regional energy hub.

The details

Atlantic SEE LNG Trade signed long-term agreements with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy in Albania, the state-owned gas company BULGARGAZ in Bulgaria, Aluminij Industries and M.T. Abraham Group in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Naftogaz in Ukraine. These deals secure defined LNG volumes over a multi-year period. Earlier in January, Atlantic SEE LNG Trade executed its first regional deal, a U.S. LNG cargo sale to Ukraine with BP as the supplier and Naftogaz as the buyer.

  • The new contracts were finalized during a ministerial summit in Washington on March 2, 2026.
  • In January 2026, Atlantic SEE LNG Trade executed its first regional deal, a U.S. LNG cargo sale to Ukraine.

The players

Atlantic SEE LNG Trade

A joint venture owned 60% by Greece's AKTOR Group and 40% by DEPA Commercial, which is focused on transporting U.S. LNG imported through Greek terminals northward to Central and Southeastern European markets.

Alexandros Exarchou

CEO of Atlantic SEE LNG Trade and also the leader of AKTOR Group.

Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy

The government ministry in Albania that signed a long-term LNG supply agreement with Atlantic SEE LNG Trade.

BULGARGAZ

The state-owned gas company in Bulgaria that signed a long-term LNG supply agreement with Atlantic SEE LNG Trade.

Naftogaz

The Ukrainian energy company that signed a long-term LNG supply agreement with Atlantic SEE LNG Trade and was the buyer in the first regional deal executed by the company in January 2026.

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What they’re saying

“The new contracts reinforce the role of the Vertical Gas Corridor, channeling U.S. LNG landed in Greece northward into Central and Southeastern Europe.”

— Alexandros Exarchou, CEO of Atlantic SEE LNG Trade

What’s next

The agreements were signed within a broader political framework that emphasizes diversification of supply and market openness. Representatives from 13 European governments, including Greece, Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine, joined U.S. officials in backing a joint declaration aimed at broadening supply sources and improving transparency in gas trading.

The takeaway

The deals between Atlantic SEE LNG Trade and counterparties in Southeast Europe and Ukraine highlight how U.S. LNG is becoming increasingly integrated into Europe's core post-Russian supply framework, with Greece positioning itself as a strategic regional energy hub.