An ice-strengthened LNG carrier that mysteriously switched ownership to an unknown Dubai-based entity has loaded cargo at Russia’s Yamal LNG plant in the Arctic.
The loading comes as ship data trackers train their sights on other vessels identified as part of a shadow LNG fleet built up by Russian-related interests as the country pushes back against Western sanctions designed to limit its revenue from LNG exports.
Data provider iGIS/LNG shows the 174,000-cbm newbuilding North Sky (ex-North Star) took on volumes at the Sabetta terminal on 18 July.
On Wednesday Kpler data showed the vessel indicating that it would be heading for north-west Europe.
In June, Russian LNG producer Novatek sent its first Arc7 LNG carriers eastbound through the Northern Sea Route to Asia, opening the summer sailing season for ships on the Arctic passage.
The North Sky is one of four ice-class 1A or Arc4 sister ships highlighted by TradeWinds in June as switching ownership and class and being issued permits by Russian authorities to sail on the NSR.
To date, the four LNG carriers — the North Sky, newbuilding North Way (ex-North Wind), North Mountain and North Air (both built 2023) — have been shipping cargoes from Zeebrugge in Belgium, where Novatek has offloaded its Yamal volumes.
All four vessels were originally contracted by Sovcomflot and NYK.
Databases show that their ownership shifted to White Fox Ship Management, a company listed as based in a business park in Dubai, on their deliveries from Samsung Heavy Industries, with the management of the vessels transferring to the same company on 7 and 8 April 2024.
The four Arc4 vessels were declassed by classification society DNV on the same dates and are now listed under the Indian Registry of Shipping and were reflagged from Singapore to Panama.
Clarksons’ Shipping Intelligence Network lists the ships as operated by Singapore-based Novatek Gas & Power Asia, a trading arm of Russian energy company Novatek.
LNG industry players are also watching the 138,000-cbm LNG carrier Pioneer (ex-Pioneer Spirit, built 2005).
Kpler data shows the vessel is holding to the north of Norway just outside ice limits for the ship. Other LNG tonnage controlled by Russian interests is also waiting in the area.
The Pioneer was sold to Dubai-based Nur Global Shipping on behalf of Zara Shipholding Co in April by Chinese trader Jovo Group.
Nur Global Shipping also emerged as the owner of Capital Gas’ 137,200-cbm steamship Trader IV (built 2002) which has since been renamed Asya Energy.
The Lloyd’s Register-classed vessel changed hands for about $40m, which raised eyebrows for a 22-year-old steam turbine ship.
It also made headlines by becoming the first LNG carrier to transit the Red Sea and Suez Canal northbound since January amid the wave of attacks on merchant shipping by Houthi militants.
Nur Global Shipping is also listed as the new owner of the 149,000-cbm New Energy (ex-Neo Energy, built 2007), which was previously owned by Tsakos Energy Navigation.
Kpler shows both the New Energy and Asya Energy as holding positions off the Strait of Gibraltar.
Novatek is battling to start up its Arctic LNG 2 project on the Gydan Peninsula, which has been set back by a wave of sanctions that have blocked some of the specialised ice-breaking LNG carriers it is building for the project and delayed the construction of others.
The company deploys a fleet of 15 specialised Arc7 ice-breaking LNG carriers to export cargoes from its existing Yamal plant.
There is speculation that Novatek and its associates may use lesser ice-class or non-ice-class ships to either haul cargoes directly from the plant during the summer months or use them as transshipment vessels to move volumes on to other destinations.
