Russia is expanding its shadow fleet: four gas carriers have been added — Reuters
Russia has added four liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers to its "shadow fleet" in an effort to strengthen its market position ahead of EU restrictions.
This was reported by Reuters.
The vessels in question are the Orion, Luch, Mercury, and Kosmos, built in 2005–2006. All of them have recently changed owners, been renamed, and registered under the Russian flag.
According to the data, some of the vessels have been acquired by companies registered in Hong Kong and Turkey. They previously belonged to an Omani company.
According to tracking systems, the tankers are moving in the Atlantic Ocean; specifically, one of them is heading to Murmansk, where infrastructure for transshipping liquefied natural gas is located.
Russia is using these vessels to circumvent sanctions and maintain LNG exports, particularly from the Arctic LNG-2 and Yamal LNG projects.
Earlier, the European Union approved a ban on Russian gas imports until the end of 2027, prompting Moscow to seek alternative supply routes.
The European Union may impose sanctions against individuals and companies suspected of facilitating the transport of grain, exported from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, to the port of Haifa (Israel).
As a reminder, the European Union has expanded sanctions against Belarus as part of a new, 20th package of restrictions targeting Russia and its allies. The decision affects Belarus’s defense sector, as well as entities that, according to the EU, support Russia’s war against Ukraine. For the first time, a Chinese organization linked to Belarusian military production has also been added to the list.
