An LNG cargo on board one of Russia’s US-sanctioned shadow ships is circling off an as-yet-unused supersize floating storage unit moored at the eastern end of the Northern Sea Route.
Eikland Energy’s iGIS/LNG shows that the non-ice-class 138,000-cbm Everest Energy (ex-Metagas Everett, built 2003), which lifted a cargo at Novatek’s Arctic LNG 2 plant and shipped it east through the NSR, slowed down and has been circling over the last few days.
Managing director Kjell Eikland said four tugs have also arrived in Bechevinskaya Bay where the 361,600-cbm Koryak (built 2023) is stationed.
A second sanctioned LNG shadow ship, the 137,231-cbm Asya Energy (ex-Trader IV, built 2002), has also loaded at Arctic LNG 2 and is heading east into the NSR with the expectation that this vessel could also be destined for the easterly FSU.
Russia appears to be putting its two huge FSUs — which are also sanctioned by the US — into use after the sanctions net designed to block the country’s new LNG export project tightened.
The Everest Energy already discharged a shipment from Arctic LNG 2 into sister ship Saam FSU, which is located at the western end of the NSR to the north of Murmansk, as did Asya Energy.
LNG ship trackers are also watching another US-sanctioned LNG carrier, the 149,700-cbm New Energy (ex-Neo Energy, built 2007), which is heading north up the west coast of Ireland.
This vessel took on board a transshipped cargo from the 138,000-cbm Pioneer (ex-LNG Pioneer, built 2005). It was transshipped onto the New Energy in the eastern Mediterranean.
Both LNG carriers have been sanctioned by Washington.
There is speculation that this cargo may be destined for the Saam FSU.
iGIS/LNG indicates that the New Energy has around 100,000 cbm of LNG on board, having left around 30,000 cbm on the Pioneer.
