Second LNG tanker seen docking at sanctioned Russian facility

A second liquefied natural gas tanker has docked at an export terminal in northern Russia that’s subject to US sanctions, satellite images show.

The ship’s appearance and length of about 290 meters (951 feet) matches the Asya Energy, according to satellite images from Planet Labs PBC. Its arrival follows the apparent export of the Arctic LNG 2 plant’s first cargo earlier this month on another ship that also concealed its true location and was owned by the same India-based company.

The Asya Energy is part of a suspected “dark fleet” of LNG vessels Moscow is setting up to carry gas to willing buyers, similar to a group of ships assembled to carry Russian oil. Traders are still closely tracking the Pioneer — the first tanker to dock at the Arctic facility, which had been struggling to start exports due to Western restrictions — as it heads toward Europe. 

The US imposed sanctions in November to prevent the start of exports from Arctic LNG 2. While the facility began production in December, it was unable to begin shipping fuel as sanctions deterred foreign companies and stopped delivery of specialized, ice-ready carriers.

 Asya Energy is managed by Ocean Speedstar Solutions, according to Equasis, a global shipping database. Ocean Speedstar didn’t respond to several requests for comment. Novatek PJSC, which leads the facility, hasn’t commented on the arrival of any vessel, and the images do not confirm LNG is being loaded.