Mercuria-Motor Oil Hellas LNG Pact to Strengthen Southeast Europe's Energy Security via Greek FSRU

## Mercuria and Motor Oil Hellas Strike LNG Deal to Diversify Southeast European Gas Supply Independent energy and commodity trader Mercuria has entered into a strategic LNG supply agreement with Greek refining and energy group Motor Oil Hellas (MOH), according to Offshore Energy. The partnership is designed to channel liquefied natural gas through a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) positioned in Greece's Saronic Gulf, with the aim of expanding and diversifying gas supply options across Southeast Europe. The agreement represents a significant development for regional energy security at a time when European nations continue to reduce dependence on pipeline gas from Russia and seek alternative supply routes. Greece has emerged as a key gateway for LNG imports into the broader Balkan and Southeast European region, and the Saronic Gulf FSRU provides critical infrastructure to facilitate that role. FSRUs have become an increasingly favoured solution across Europe for rapid deployment of LNG import capacity, offering flexibility that land-based regasification terminals cannot match in terms of construction timelines and capital requirements. By securing a dedicated supply arrangement with Mercuria — a major global commodity trader with extensive LNG trading operations — Motor Oil Hellas positions the facility as a reliable and commercially active node in the regional gas network. The deal is expected to support not only Greek domestic demand but also the potential onward distribution of regasified LNG to neighbouring countries, many of which have limited direct access to LNG import infrastructure. Southeast European nations including Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Serbia have been actively seeking to diversify their gas supply mix in the wake of the broader European energy crisis. The Saronic Gulf FSRU has previously been identified as a strategic asset in Greece's energy transition planning, and commercial agreements of this nature are seen as essential to maximising utilisation of the vessel and justifying its continued operation. The Mercuria-MOH pact underscores the growing commercial momentum behind LNG as a bridging fuel for European energy security, with traders and energy companies alike investing in supply chain infrastructure to meet sustained regional demand.