Russia Assembles Shadow Fleet to Evade EU LNG Ban

Russia is building a 'shadow fleet' of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers to bypass the European Union's planned embargo on Russian LNG imports, set to take effect in 2027. The EU's ban aims to cut off Russia's main source of revenue after the invasion of Ukraine.

According to Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service, more than 65% of Russia's LNG production comes from Novatek's Yamal LNG and sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 projects. China remains the main buyer of Arctic LNG 2 output, accounting for a significant portion of the project's sales.

Russia is acquiring aging LNG carriers and constructing new vessels to expand its shadow fleet. At least eight used LNG carriers and two newly built vessels have joined the fleet in the past six months. Most of these ships are registered to Russia-linked companies in Dubai, Hong Kong, and Singapore.