Russia's 'Shadow Fleet' Resumes LNG Shipments After Eight-Month Hiatus, Marking a New Era in Buyer Engagement

According to a recent report from Shipatlas.com, russia’s fleet of sanctioned LNG carriers is finally back in action after a prolonged period of inactivity. The Arctic Mulan, with a capacity of 79,800 cubic meters, docked at the Koryak Floating Storage Unit (FSU) in Bechevinskaya Bay on June 2. This vessel had been idle for five months and is now expected to take on cargo from the storage barge.

Industry experts have noted that Arctic Mulan’s swift journey from the Mediterranean to Koryak might signal that Novatek has successfully found a buyer for its sanctioned gas from the Arctic LNG 2 project. While it’s rumored that this buyer could be based in China, details about where Arctic Mulan will head next remain unclear. Previously, this ship loaded LNG from the Arctic LNG 2 site on September 22, 2024, and delivered its cargo near Murmansk by december 20 of that year. Afterward, it spent time idling in both the North Sea and Eastern Mediterranean before making its way toward Kamchatka starting May 1.

The vessel also secured permission to navigate through the Northern Sea Route as of May 28, allowing it access between July and October—another sign that it might potentially be gearing up for more loading activities at Arctic LNG 2 this summer.

Another vessel known as nova Energy (formerly New Energy) appears poised to follow suit by loading supercooled gas at Koryak soon. Currently anchored outside Bechevinskaya Bay, Nova Energy still holds product originally taken on board at Arctic LNG 2 back on October 2, but it’s certainly worth noting that losses due to boil-off over these past eight months could account for around one-third to two-fifths of what was initially loaded. If Nova Energy makes an appearance at Koryak shortly, it may look to replenish its tanks before heading out alongside Arctic Mulan toward potential buyers.

Last year saw several shadow fleet vessels engaging in questionable practices like turning off or disguising their AIS signals while loading at Arctic LNG 2; similar tactics might be unfolding now with Nova Energy showing some irregularities in its tracking signal—though it’s too early to determine their intent.

Koryak FSU has already welcomed three shadow fleet carriers: first was Arctic Metagaz (previously Everest Energy) on September 22; then came Sputnik Energy (formerly Pioneer), which discharged cargo there by December’s end; lastly was East Energy (ex-Asya Energy), which made its transfer on February 11 this year. With no additional capacity left at Koryak following these visits, Novatek will need to clear existing cargoes if they plan on using Koryak as a transshipment hub during this summer season.

Stay updated with daily maritime insights by subscribing—you won’t want to miss any developments!