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Shadow tanker arrived in China en route from sanctioned Russian LNG project

The 'Arctic Mulan', in service of Russia’s sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project. has docked at the iBeihai LNG terminal in the South Chinese Guangxi provincfor the first time on Aug 28, ending more than a year of uncertainty for one of Moscow’s most ambitious energy ventures. The apparent delivery, carried by a vessel from Russia’s shadow fleet, was suggesting a potential shift in Beijing’s willingness to accept sanctioned Russian gas.

Sanctioned Russian shadow fleet tanker receives first cargo after five months

On the evening of June 2, 2025, the 'Arctic Mulan' (ex-'Mulan') pulled alongside the Koryak FSU in the Bechevinskaya Bay in Kamchatka. The LNG carrier has been in ballast for the past five months suggesting that it will be receiving cargo from the storage barge. Last week industry insiders had pointed to the recent dash of the 'Arctic Mulan' from the Mediterranean to Koryak in the Far East as an early indication that Novatek’s protracted search to find a buyer for sanctioned gas from Arctic LNG 2 may have concluded. A buyer has possibly been lined up for the sanctions-busting sale, possibly in China, though the destination of the 'Arctic Mulan' has remained unknown. The 'Arctic Mulan' had previously loaded LNG from the Arctic LNG 2 project on Sep 22, 2024, subsequently discharging its cargo into the Saam FSU near Murmansk on Dec 20,. Since then the vessel has idled in the North Sea and subsequently in the Eastern Mediterranean. It began a speedy trip across the Suez Canal, the Indian Ocean, and up towards Kamchatka on May 1. The vessel also received a Northern Sea Route permit on May 28, which was clearing it to sail the Arctic shipping lane between July 1 and Oct 31; a further indication that the vessel could be used for renewed attempts to load at Arctic LNG 2 during the summer. The fellow shadow fleet tanker 'Nova Energy' (ex-'New Energy') may be the next in line to load LNG at Koryak. The tanker has been holding position outside the Bechevinskaya Bay. Unlike other dark fleet vessels, which discharged their cargo into Koryak and the sister barge Saam starting in fall 2024, when no buyers could be found, the 'Nova Energy' has remained loaded with product originally received at Arctic LNG 2 on Oct 2, 2024.

Sanctioned tankers permitted to sail Northern Sea Route

During the recent days of late May, 2025, at least a half-dozen sanctioned LNG carriers have received permits to sail Russia’s Northern Sea Route during the summer months. The vessels were including the last summer’s shadow fleet carriers 'Arctic Metagas' (ex-'Everest Energy') and 'Arctic Mulan' (ex-'Mulan'), as well as the recently-reflagged and sanctioned tanker 'Iris' (ex-'North Sky'), 'Buran' (ex-'North Air'), 'Voskhod (ex-'North Mountain'), and 'Zarya' (ex-'North Way'). In total, almost 30 LNG tankers have now been granted permits to travel through Russia’s Arctic waters in the coming months. Among them are at least six conventional gas tankers without any ice-class. The bulk of the fleet remained unsanctioned and was operating legally, carrying liquefied gas from the Yamal LNG project.