*Taiwan has bucked the trend of other Asian LNG importers (MEES, 15 July), in seeing import volumes rise for the first half of 2022.

*At 9.97mn tons for 1H 2022, imports by Asia’s number five importer were up 5.6% year on year, putting 2022 well on track to break 2021’s annual record of 19.63mn tons (MEES, 14 January). Taiwan was also number five globally for 2021, but a surge in European LNG buying for 1H 2022 meant the UK (10.7mn tons according to figures from data intelligence firm Kpler, Spain (11.8mn tons) and France (12.57mn tons) were all ahead for the first half of this year. (CONTINUED - 530 WORDS)