In preparation for this winter, European countries have been rapidly filling their gas storage facilities with liquified natural gas (LNG) imported by ship from Qatar, the US and elsewhere. Those facilities are now reported to be virtually full. The latest phenomenon is LNG ships queuing off European coasts waiting to unload their cargoes – and being kept waiting because there is a shortage of storage space and facilities to unload. There are believed to be around 50 such ships currently at sea off Europe.