Russia has deployed a new tanker to transport liquefied natural gas despite sanctions
Russia has dispatched a new icebreaking tanker to transport liquefied natural gas via the Northern Sea Route. The vessel “Konstantin Posiet” set sail from Velikiy Kamen Bay in Primorsky Krai.
The tanker was built at the Zvezda shipbuilding complex. It belongs to the Arc7 class and is capable of breaking through ice up to two meters thick.
The vessel is intended to support the Russian “Arctic LNG-2” project, which is subject to U.S. sanctions. Its launch is seen as an attempt by Moscow to continue gas exports while circumventing Western restrictions.
The tanker is expected to arrive at its destination on August 30. However, its exact destination is currently unknown.
The “Konstantin Posyet” is now the third such tanker in the Russian fleet. The first icebreaking gas carrier built in Russia, the “Aleksey Kosygin,” set sail in December 2025.
Russia initially planned to build 15 tankers of this class for “Arctic LNG-2,” but the program has been significantly delayed due to sanctions.
Source: Reuters.
In January 2026, Russia’s flagship liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, “Yamal LNG,” shipped more than 1.69 million metric tons of LNG to Europe, an 8% increase from last year.
The European ban on the transit of liquefied natural gas from Russia, which took effect in late March, has led to a significant increase in the volume of Russian LNG arriving in Belgium via the port of Zeebrugge.
