As　the　demand　for　sustainable　energy　sources　is　increasing　globally,　the　popularization　and　application　of　clean　energy　has　become　an　inevitable　trend.　Natural　gas　is　playing　an　increasingly　vital　role　in　global　energy　consumption.　The　vast　majority　of　natural　gas　is　transported　between　ports　in　vessels　in　the　form　of　liquefied　natural　gas　(LNG)　due　to　the　geographical　separation　between　the　supply　and　demand　countries.　Analyzing　its　transportation　pattern　is　of　great　significance　for　optimizing　trade　strategies　between　countries　and　ensuring　their　energy　import　and　export　security.　However,　existing　knowledge　on　detailed　trade　patterns　at　the　port　level　is　limited.　In　this　study,　we　adopted　a　set　of　network　indices　and　a　classic　community　detection　method　to　investigate　global　LNG　transportation　networks　using　mass　vessel　trajectory　data　collected　from　2013　to　2017.　The　results　show　that　1)　the　LNG　transportation　network　is　characterized　by　closer　connections;　2)　Singapore,　Ras　Laffan,　and　Khawr　Fakkan　have　the　most　important　roles　in　the　LNG　transportation　network;　3)　the　global　LNG　trade　network　has　developed　several　closely　connected　trading　communities　since　2013,　and　ports　within　individual　communities　have　gradually　become　more　geographically　concentrated;　and　4)　the　global　LNG　trade　network　has　evolved　into　three　closely　linked　trading　zones,　i.e.,　a　zone　encompassing　some　of　the　ports　in　the　Middle　East,　Australia,　Singapore,　East　Asia,　and　Southeast　Asia;　a　zone　encompassing　the　remaining　ports　of　the　Middle　East,　East　Africa,　the　Mediterranean,　and　Europe;　and　the　ports　in　the　Americas,　which　is　a　relatively　independent　trade　zone.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd