Sixth LNG tanker loads cargo from Russia’s Arctic LNG 2, data shows

SINGAPORE: A liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker loaded a cargo from Russia’s sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project last week, making it the sixth loading from the plant so far this year, according to shiptracking data from analytics firms Kpler and Vortexa.

This comes after China received an LNG cargo from the Arctic LNG 2 project, which is sanctioned over Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.

This is the first time that cargo from the project has been received by an end-user since starting up last year.

Six tankers have picked up cargoes from Arctic LNG 2 so far this year, with the latest being La Perouse, which arrived at the plant on August 27, loaded LNG and departed on August 30-31, according to Kpler and Vortexa data.

La Perouse was one of five LNG tankers sanctioned by the United Kingdom last September due to engagement with projects which are important to Russia’s future energy production.

According to shipping database Equasis, the tanker’s registered owner is Enson Shipping Inc with an address in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Its ship or commercial manager is Dreamer Shipmanagement LLC-FZ with the same address as Enson Shipping. Reuters could not find contact information for Dreamer Shipmanagement and Enson Shipping.

Meanwhile, Kpler and Vortexa data also showed that another sanctioned tanker, Arctic Vostok, is currently anchored next to the Koryak floating storage unit (FSU) in Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula that indicates LNG transfer could be taking place.

The Koryak FSU is being used to store LNG from Arctic LNG 2, according to Kpler data. The Arctic LNG 2 cargo that China received last week had been loaded from the Koryak FSU.

The registered owner for Arctic Vostok, Lule One Services Inc, and its ship or commercial manager, Ocean Speedstar Solutions, both have registered addresses in Mumbai, India, according to Equasis.

Reuters could not reach both the companies for comment. Last year, the US had imposed sanctions on the registered owners and managers of several LNG vessels, including Arctic Vostok, as part of a broader goal to curb Russia’s oil and gas revenues.