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Russia's Arctic LNG shadow fleet operates undeterred by Middle East conflict
Russia’s Arctic LNG shadow fleet appeared to be operating largely undeterred by the escalating conflict in the Middle East, with at least seven tankers recently transiting or currently en route through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait en route to and from Asia, even as many global shipping operators were rerouting their ships to avoid the region. Vessels lifting Russian LNG from the Arctic have continued to use the shortcut to Asia. At least seven tankers linked to Russia’s Arctic LNG trade have either recently passed through the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb strait or are currently sailing towards the corridor en route to China. The southbound 'La Perouse' has completed its transit of the Suez Canal and entered the Red Sea, while the northbound 'Arctic Pioneer' was approaching the canal after passing through the Red Sea. Further south, the 'Arctic Mulan' and the 'Iris' were sailing east after clearing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. In the Indian Ocean, the 'Nova Energy' and 'Arctic Vostok' remained on course for the Red Sea and Suez, while the 'Arctic Metagaz' was heading toward the canal from the Mediterranean.The movements contrasted with the mounting uncertainty over Qatari exports, which must pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that has seen slower traffic and heightened security concerns in recent days.
Sanctioned tanker serviced in Zhoushan
As the summer maintenance season has started, the first Arc7 ice-class gas carriers in service of the Yamal LNG project have arrived at the Fayard A/S shipyard in Odense. The 'Nikolay Urvantsev' (IMO: 9750660), chartered to Novatek’s Yamal LNG project, arrived at the drydock on June 26, 2025, and sailed around a week later. The Arc7 LNG carrier 'Fedor Litke (IMO: 9768370)', operated by Dynagas, arrived at the Fayard A/S yard on July 17, following a delivery at Dunkerque, and remained in drydock as of July 24. Repairs and maintenance schedules have been significantly condensed for the Arctic LNG carriers due to their harsh operating conditions along Russia’s Northern Sea Route. The Damen ship repair focuses on hull maintenance, which the LNG carriers regularly require breaking a path through thick Arctic sea ice. The Damen Shiprepair stated that the company was in compliance with all international sanctions legislation against Russia. As the vessels have not been directly sanctioned by the U.S. or the EU the yards’ activities do not violate international law. Though procuring spare parts has become increasingly difficult, suppliers of gas chromatographs and flow meters used on LNG carriers have placed restrictions on the end user and no longer deliver parts to the vessels of the Yamal fleet, related to the fear of sanctions. A number of sanctioned LNG carriers, including an Arc7 and several Arc4 ice-class vessels, have recently resorted to receiving maintenance at Chinese yards. The Arc7 LNG carrier 'Christophe de Margerie' spent months at a Zhoushan Island yard east of Shanghai in summer 2024. Currently two additional sanctioned Russian gas carriers, the 'Sputnik Energy' (IMO: 9256602) and the 'Nova Energy', remained at Zhoushan yards.
Sanctioned Russian shadow fleet tanker may receive cargo in Koryak
On the evening of June 2, 2025, the 'Arctic Mulan' (ex-'Mulan') pulled alongside the Koryak FSU in the Bechevinskaya Bay in Kamchatka. The LNG carrier has been in ballast for the past five months suggesting that it will be receiving cargo from the storage barge. Last week industry insiders had pointed to the recent dash of the 'Arctic Mulan' from the Mediterranean to Koryak in the Far East as an early indication that Novatek’s protracted search to find a buyer for sanctioned gas from Arctic LNG 2 may have concluded. A buyer has possibly been lined up for the sanctions-busting sale, possibly in China, though the destination of the 'Arctic Mulan' has remained unknown. The 'Arctic Mulan' had previously loaded LNG from the Arctic LNG 2 project on Sep 22, 2024, subsequently discharging its cargo into the Saam FSU near Murmansk on Dec 20,. Since then the vessel has idled in the North Sea and subsequently in the Eastern Mediterranean. It began a speedy trip across the Suez Canal, the Indian Ocean, and up towards Kamchatka on May 1. The vessel also received a Northern Sea Route permit on May 28, which was clearing it to sail the Arctic shipping lane between July 1 and Oct 31; a further indication that the vessel could be used for renewed attempts to load at Arctic LNG 2 during the summer. The fellow shadow fleet tanker 'Nova Energy' (ex-'New Energy') may be the next in line to load LNG at Koryak. The tanker has been holding position outside the Bechevinskaya Bay. Unlike other dark fleet vessels, which discharged their cargo into Koryak and the sister barge Saam starting in fall 2024, when no buyers could be found, the 'Nova Energy' has remained loaded with product originally received at Arctic LNG 2 on Oct 2, 2024.
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