Published April 1, 2026 | Version v2
Dataset Open

Global Marine LNG Terminals, Tankers & Trade (LNG-T3): A High-Resolution AIS-Based Dataset of LNG Trade Dynamics (2020-2024)

Authors/Creators

  • 1. ROR icon Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement

Contributors

Data curator:

Supervisor:

Description

The LNG-T3 dataset provides the first open-access, daily-resolution dataset of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) maritime trade flows between 2020 and 2024. It integrates three core components: (1) a global LNG tanker fleet inventory (406 vessels), (2) a harmonized LNG terminal inventory (545 terminals), and (3) AIS-derived daily records of LNG tanker voyages, terminal throughput, and country-to-country trade flows.


The dataset is constructed from Automatic Identification System (AIS) vessel position and draught reports, port call records, and open infrastructure sources. A robust voyage detection framework identifies loading and unloading events at LNG terminals and reconstructs tanker voyages, enabling the estimation of daily LNG volumes transported, processed, and traded globally.


Validation against multiple independent references—including Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE), U.S. EIA, Eurostat, and GIIGNL—demonstrates high consistency at the terminal, country, and regional scales. LNG-T3 captures the dramatic shifts in LNG trade following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, including Europe’s surge in LNG imports, the expansion of U.S. exports, continued Russian LNG shipments despite pipeline sanctions, and the diversification of Europe’s suppliers to include smaller exporters such as Cameroon, Turkmenistan, and Peru.


Files included:

LNG_tanker.csv – global LNG tanker fleet inventory (2020–2024)

LNG_tanker_voyage.csv - Individual LNG tanker export/return voyage events (2020-2024).

LNG_terminal.csv – LNG export/import terminal inventory

LNG_terminal_daily.csv – daily LNG terminal-level throughput

LNG_trade_daily.csv – daily country-to-country LNG trade flows

AIS_feed.zip - code for obtaining real-time AIS data with AIShub (your API key is required)

code.zip - code for generating visualizations and validations

 

Table 2. Key Attributes of LNG Tankers, Terminals, and Trade Records in the LNG-T3 Dataset.

Dataset

Attribute

Description

Tankers

IMO

International Maritime Organization number
 

MMSI

Maritime Mobile Service Identity number
 

ship_name

Name of the LNG tanker
 

built_year

The year the vessel was built
 

tanker_class

Classification of tankers by size/type (e.g., Q-Flex, Q-Max, Conventional)
 

capacity_cbm **

LNG carrying capacity in cubic meters (m³)
 

registered_country

The country where the tanker is registered
 

is_capacity_estimated **

Flag indicating if capacity is estimated (1 = Yes)
 

is_active_tanker

Flag indicating if the tanker has AIS or port call record during the study period
 

total_LNG *

Total LNG volume transported by the vessel (m³)
 

delivery_counts

The number of LNG deliveries made by the tanker
 

total_distance *

Total vessel travel distance (in kilometers)
 

first_delivery_record

Date of the earliest recorded LNG delivery
 

last_delivery_record

Date of the most recent 

recorded LNG delivery

Tanker Voyages

start_date, end_date

Voyage date of departure and arrival
 

IMO

International Maritime Organization number
 

voyage

Voyage type, export or return
 

from_terminal, to_terminal

LNG terminal of departure and arrival
 

amount_cmb

Delivered LNG cargo volume (m³)
 

from_country, to_country

Country of departure and arrival
 

confidence_score

Confidence level of detected voyage (1–5, with 5 being highest)
 

voyage_distance

Estimated voyage distance from origin to destination (in kilometers)

Terminals

name

Name of the LNG terminal
 

UN_LOCODE

UN/LOCODE code of the nearest port to the terminal
 

port_distance_km

The distance between the terminal and the port
 

status

Operational status (e.g., proposed, idle, operating)
 

unit_count

Number of processing units/trains at the terminal
 

capacity_mtpa

LNG processing capacity in million tonnes per annum (MTPA)
 

terminal_type

Import or export classification
 

start_year

Planned or actual start year of terminal operations
 

region

Geographical region where the terminal is located
 

areas

Country or locality of the terminal
 

lat, lon

Geocoordinate of the terminal
 

total_processed_cbm *

Total LNG volume processed at the (cbm)
 

first_record

Earliest record of terminal activity
 

last_record

Most recent record of terminal activity

Terminals

name

LNG terminal name
 

date

Date of the activity
 

processed_cbm

Total LNG volume processed at the (m³)

Trade

date

Date of LNG trade activity
 

type

Type of activity (e.g., arrival or departure)
 

from_country

Country of departure
 

to_country

Country of arrival
 

amount_cbm

Traded LNG cargo volume (m³)
 

voyage_distance

Estimated voyage distance from origin to destination (in kilometers)
 

confidence_score

Confidence level of the estimated trade event (1–5, with 5 being highest)

* “Total” values in the LNG-T3 dataset (e.g., total_LNG, delivery_counts, total_distance, total_processed_cbm) represent aggregated values over the period from 2020-01 to 2024-12, based on available and validated data records.

** The fields capacity_cbm and is_capacity_estimated are derived from a DWT-to-capacity regression model (r2 = 0.75, see Methods). The model was applied exclusively in cases where official capacity data were not available, and the flag is_capacity_estimated will be set 1.

 

Files

LNG_tanker.csv

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