Russia has used a single icebreaker to continue exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Arctic LNG 2 project that is being sanctioned by the US throughout the winter.
According to ship tracking data compiled by Bloomberg, the Christophe De Margerie ship docked at Arctic LNG 2 export base port - currently on the sanctions list - earlier this week and is preparing to export its third LNG shipment since December 20.
This is the only ship operating in the so-called "dark LNG fleet" of Russia that can move year-round in frozen waters.
In winter, the ice layer surrounding the Arctic LNG 2 facility becomes too thick for conventional ships. Last month, a ship was forced to cancel a loading effort due to excessive ice accumulation, showing the serious logistical obstacles that this project is facing.
Christophe De Margerie - a ship built according to Arc7 standards, specializing in operating in the icy region - has transported the 2 most recent LNG trips to the Saam floating stockpile in the Murmansk region, western Russia. From here, LNG can be received by conventional ships and transported to China.
This form of transit is likely to continue until the shorter east sea route reopens in the summer, when the ice melts and travel conditions on the Arctic Ocean become more favorable.
Maintaining export flows, although limited, is considered an important support for Russia in the context that the country is facing difficulties in increasing gas sales due to tightening measures from the West and the loss of the European market - once the largest customer.
In the winter of last year, Arctic LNG 2 was forced to sharply cut production due to a shortage of transport ships and warehouses that were almost full.
Ship data shows that, with the support of the only icebreaker, Arctic LNG 2 can currently operate at only about 25% of its capacity. However, Russia is seeking to improve the situation.
Last month, the country completed the first domestically built ice-breaking LNG tanker, named Alexey Kosygin, and this ship is moving from the Russian Far East towards the Arctic. When put into operation, Alexey Kosygin can help increase LNG export capacity from the same project.
The Arctic LNG 2 project, the Saam floating storage and the Christophe De Margerie ship have all been included in the sanctions list under the administration of former US President Joe Biden.
