Russia Bulks Up Shadow LNG Fleet Ahead of EU Import Ban

Russia is expanding its shadow fleet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers in preparation for the European Union's full ban on imports of Russian LNG, set to take effect on January 1, 2027.

The Kremlin is buying old gas carriers on the secondary market and putting domestically built vessels into operation. More than 65% of Russia's liquefied gas production comes from Novatek's Yamal LNG and the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 projects, while another approximately 30% is provided by Sakhalin-2, owned by Gazprom.

The main buyer of Arctic LNG 2 products remains China. According to expert estimates, cargoes from this project are transported by 11 vessels, with an average age of around ten years.

Cryogenic tankers must keep liquefied gas in a liquid state at temperatures of around, 162 °C, making them more complex and expensive to operate than oil tankers. Building a single modern gas carrier can cost up to $300 million.