A gas carrier in service of Russia’s sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project has docked at a Chinese import terminal for the first time, ending more than a year of uncertainty for one of Moscow’s most ambitious energy ventures.
The 79,800-cbm Russian-flagged Arctic Mulan moored up at the Beihai LNG terminal in Guangxi province in southern China just before 5am UTC on August 28.
The apparent delivery, carried by a vessel from Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” suggests a potential shift in Beijing’s willingness to accept sanctioned Russian gas. It could also signal a softening of Washington’s position against Russian energy projects. U.S. officials discussed the issue of investments in Russian energy projects and the possible easing of sanctions alongside the latest Ukraine peace talks.
The Arctic LNG 2 project, located on the Gydan Peninsula in northwest Siberia, is majority-owned by Novatek, Russia’s largest private natural gas producer. The $21 billion venture was designed to supply up to 19.8 million tonnes of LNG annually once fully operational, strengthening Russia’s role as a major global gas exporter. But since U.S. sanctions were imposed on the project in late 2023, Arctic LNG 2 has struggled to place its cargoes abroad.
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