The U.S.' second largest LNG exporter Freeport LNG has resumed shipments after shutting operations ahead of Hurricane Beryl, with processing on track to reach about half its capacity on July 22, according to preliminary LSEG data.

Beryl hit the Texas coast on July 8, causing damage to ports and energy infrastructure and leaving more than 2 million customers without power.

Freeport LNG, which shut its three liquefaction trains on July 7 and later reported wind damage, has had a slow operational restart since.

The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Axios II left one of Freeport LNG's berths over the weekend carrying the first cargo shipped by the facility since July 5, according to vessel tracking data from LSEG.

On July 22, the Bermuda-flagged Gaslog Wales was loading at Freeport LNG and two more vessels were waiting near the port. The Gaslog Wales waited more than two weeks to load, the data showed.

The amount of gas flowing to the 2.1-Bcf/d facility was on track to rise to around 1.0 Bcf/d on July 22 from about 0.8 Bcf/d on July 21, according to preliminary LSEG data.

Freeport LNG did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Contrary to other plants, Freeport LNG's operations are powered by electricity from the grid, so almost all of the natural gas it is pulling in is being turned into LNG.

Gas flows to the seven big U.S. LNG export plants have fallen to 11.5 Bcf/d so far in July after Freeport LNG shut, down from 12.8 Bcf/d in June and a monthly record high of 14.7 Bcf/d in December 2023.

With Freeport ramping up and hot weather forecast to return next week, U.S. front-month gas futures NGc1 for August delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange were up 9.2 cents, or 4.3%, to $2.220/MMBtu by 9:04 a.m. EDT (1304 GMT).

That has put the contract on track for its highest close since July 12.

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