Russia was thought to have recently added four LNGCs to its growing ‘dark fleet’ exporting cargoes from the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project, according to a Bloomberg analysis of shipping data.
Four LNGCs, ‘Kosmos’, ‘Merkuriy’, ‘Orion’, and ‘Luch’, have recently changed ownership and management to little known companies.
They were previously servicing Oman’s LNG exports and were managed or owned by Oman Ship Management Co, according to Bloomberg.
‘Kosmos’ recently berthed at an FSU that is utilised for storing gas produced by Arctic LNG 2, which is sanctioned by the US, the EU, and the UK. She was also recently switched to the Russian flag, Bloomberg’s analysis showed.
The Arc7 ‘Christophe De Margerie’ is the only Ice Class LNGC in the Russian ‘shadow fleet’ that ship-tracking services have identified thus far as operating between NOVATEK’s Arctic LNG 2 project and the Chinese LNG import terminal at Beihai.
In total, LNGCs carrying Russia’s LNG exports, most of which are sanctioned or soon to be phased out in Europe, number around 20 currently, Bloomberg’s tracking data showed.
