Russia Expands LNG Fleet Despite Sanctions

Russia has significantly expanded its fleet of tankers transporting liquefied natural gas from the Arctic LNG 2 project, despite Western restrictions. In less than a year, the number of such vessels nearly doubled to at least 20, according to vessel-tracking data.

The addition of modern Russian-built ice-class tankers is designed for year-round operations in icy waters and will help address the challenge of navigating Arctic ice even in winter.

China is currently the only buyer of LNG from the sanctioned project, with Russia seeking new markets for gas that was previously shipped to Europe by pipeline. The expansion of the shadow fleet is part of Moscow's efforts to continue shipping gas eastward and deepen ties between Russia and China.