Dynamics of the world gas trade

The increasing distances between gas producing and gas consuming areas have led to foresee a considerable development of the international exchanges with a rate of about 3.5% per year up to 2020. The fluxes should represent about 32% of the commercialized production. The maritime transport by methane tanker ship will be certainly the winner of this dynamics, allowing, thanks to its flexibility, to adjust the offer to the demand of a more and more global market. This is today the bet of an industry which, motivated by technological improvements and markets potentialities, invests massively in new infrastructures. (J.S.)