An Arc7 LNG carrier carrying a cargo of Russian LNG has been refused entry to a German regasification terminal.
The Financial Times said Germany’s Ministry of the Economy rejected the 172,600-cbm Arc7 LNG carrier Fedor Litke (built 2017), which is laden with a cargo from Novatek’s Yamal LNG plant, was due to arrive at Deutsche Regas’ Brunsbuttel terminal on Sunday.
But mystery swirls as to how the shipment came to be heading to the German terminal as the country had already committed to a ban on Russian LNG shipments. Some pipeline gas, however, that has been injected into the grid from other European Union countries like Belgium, the Netherlands and France —which are continuing to receive cargoes of LNG from Russia — is likely to be of Russian origin.
Kpler data shows Fedor Litke as southbound off the west coast of Norway heading for Western Europe.
The vessel is one of 15 ice-breaking LNG carriers ordered to serve Novatek’s Yamal LNG plant
European Union states have been wrestling with the issue of Russian LNG imports.
From 26 March 2025, a ban on ban transshipments of Russian LNG in European terminals comes into force as the bloc tries to phase out Russian gas and LNG by 2027. But member states have been calling for greater transparency on Russian imports which have been rising this year.
By late September Russian LNG exports to EU countries had totalled 11.8m tonnes, with deliveries to France running at 4.4 mt, Spain 3.9 mt and Belgium 2.1 mt.
Despite the shipments to some EU countries, Russia appears to be struggling with its LNG exports in the face of mounting Western sanctions.
The country has built up a nine-vessel shadow LNG carrier fleet some of which has been deployed to lift cargoes from Novatek’s Arctic LNG 2 plant, which started up production this year but has since halted this again.
Three of its shadow ships – the 138,000-cbm Pioneer (ex-LNG Pioneer, built 2005), the 137,231-cbm Asya Energy (ex-Trader IV, built 2002) and the 149,700-cbm Nova Energy (ex-New Energy, built 2007) - which are laden with Arctic LNG 2 are now anchored up in Nakhodka Bay in the Russian Far East.
The 174,000-cbm sister ships North Air and North Mountain (both built 2023) and newbuildings North Sky (ex-North Star) and North Way (ex-North Wind), are lying in ballast off Kolguyev Island in the Russian Arctic while data shows the 79,833-cbm newbuilding Mulan (ex-Mulan Spirit), which is also in ballast, as just off Belokamenka, to the north of Murmansk.
The 138,000-cbm Metagas Everest (ex-Everest Energy, built 2003), which is also shown as laden with an Arctic LNG 2 cargo, is lying to the west of the North ships quartet.
These nine vessels and the Arctic LNG 2 plant have all been sanctioned by the US.
