US LNG exports exceeded those from Australia for the first time in May, in a trend one major shipowner says is likely to continue.

Shipments from the US reached 6.6m tonnes last month aboard 95 LNG carriers, against the 5.9m tonnes shipped from Australia and the 7m tonnes exported by Qatar, according to figures from shipbroker Banchero Costa (Bancosta).

“This is all about American exports surging, not about Australian ones having any problems,” Bancosta head of research Ralph Leszczynski told TradeWinds.