Ship-to-ship LNG operations restart at Russia’s Yamal project

Russia's Yamal LNG resumed ship-to-ship liquefied natural gas operations near the Arctic port of Murmansk, LSEG data showed on Thursday. This opening the way for the possible resumption of exports of the fuel to Asia for the first time this winter season.

The ship-to-ship scheme, in which ice-class gas carriers upload cargoes to conventional vessels for further deliveries, allows the company to optimise the usage of expensive ice-class tankers in winter season. This occurs when navigation via the eastward Northern Sea Route along the Russian Arctic shore is restricted.

Such a scheme is usually used for exports to Asia. The LSEG data showed that the Arc7 LNG tanker Vladimir Vize, carrying an LNG cargo from Yamal LNG, and Seapeak Yamal gas carrier are positioned near Kildin Island.