IRIS

Allgemeine Informationen

Kurs/Position

Die neuesten Nachrichten

Sanctioned LNG tanker likely heading for the Arctic LNG 2 plant.

The sanctioned 'Iris' (ex 'North Sky') passed through the Kara Gate entering Russia’s Northern Sea Route on June 24, likely heading for the Arctic LNG 2 plant. The move came after the vessel spent months in ballast idling in the Barents Sea. The vessel is currently displaying Sabetta as destination on AIS; possibly a ruse. A visit by a blocked LNG carrier to the unsanctioned Yamal LNG project would be a highly unusual and potentially risky move by project owner Novatek. For much of the past nine months a dozen sanctioned LNG carriers have remained largely idle and scattered across the Barents Sea on the European side and the Sea of Japan in the Far East, waiting for Arctic sea ice to recede.

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.

Ship added to EU sanction list

The European Union has adopted its newest sanctions package on Dec 16, 2024, at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting, adding 52 new vessels, among them the 'North Sky', to the sanctions list that have been deemed by the EU to be supporting Russia’s war machine. The vessels that have been sanctioned are primarily involved in circumventing the oil price cap mechanism implemented by the West, in arms deliveries, and in the transportation of stolen grain. This latest package has brought the total number of vessels sanctioned by the EU to 79. The majority of the vessels are involved in the transport of Russian oil and in transporting arms for the Russian military. The sanctions package also targets a total of 54 individuals and 30 entities that are deemed to be bolstering Russia’s war effort. Among them, there are also entities and individuals in China and North Korea who have been deemed to be supplying Russia with dual-use materials to support Russia’s military efforts. Two senior North Korean officials and seven Chinese individuals and companies have been targeted in the latest sanctions. The purpose of the sanctions has been defined to increase the operational costs for Russia by banning them from ports in the EU and hindering them from receiving maritime services.