Russia Doubles Shadow Fleet of LNG Tankers Amid Sanctions
Russia has significantly expanded its fleet of LNG tankers serving the Arctic LNG 2 project, despite US sanctions on the facility. According to Bloomberg's analysis of vessel-tracking data, at least 20 vessels with opaque ownership structures have serviced the plant and its associated infrastructure. This number nearly doubles the 11 such vessels reported in December 2025.
The expansion is part of Russia's efforts to continue shipping liquefied natural gas (LNG) eastward despite the sanctions. China is currently the only buyer of sanctioned LNG from Russia, with the facility producing between 5.2 million and 5.4 million tons of LNG annually, according to analysts.
Rystad has raised its estimate for the plant's 2026 production by about 9% from its July forecast, driven by the growth in the tanker fleet. The facility is currently building a third production line, with a combined annual capacity of 13.2 million tons.