IRIS

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LNG tankers heading to Asia from sanctioned Russian Arctic LNG 2 plant

Several LNG tankers are heading to Asia from the Russian export facility Arctic LNG 2 plant in Siberia, sanctioned by the US, potentially testing Washington’s resolve to crack down on the trade amid high-level talks over the war in Ukraine. The 'Iris' and 'Voskhod' (IMO: 9953511) started their voyages to North Asia via the Northern Sea Route on Aug. 15 after being idled for weeks. Two other tankers that recently loaded at the plant also started heading toward Asia last week. It was unclear if the four vessels currently heading toward Asia will ultimately find buyers. About a dozen ships, including those that can navigate icy waters, have been marshaled to potentially service Arctic LNG 2, with some changing management companies several times to help obfuscate their actual owners. The Arctic LNG 2 produced eight cargoes in summer 2024, but was forced to shut in October. as it failed to find buyers and as ice started its seasonal build-up around the facility. The plant, initially sanctioned by the Biden administration, resumed loading in June but no cargoes have docked at an import facility yet.

Sanctioned tanker berthed at Russian Arctic LNG 2 plant

The 'Iris' has berthed at Russia's Arctic LNG 2 plant on June 26. If the vessel picks up gas, it would mark the 9th LNG cargo to be offloaded from the Arctic LNG 2 project. The last shipment was loaded onto the tanker 'Arctic Metagaz' on Oct 5, 2024. Also in that month, the U.S. state department imposed sanctions on registered owners and managers of several LNG vessels including Iris, which was previously known as 'North Sky'.

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.