MOSCOW, Sept 19 (Askume) – The latest signs on Friday were that an oil tanker carrying a cargo of Russia’s Arctic LNG2 had crossed the Northern Sea Route for the first time and approached the gas hub, according to ship tracking data from the London Stock Exchange Group. Sanctions, energy exports continue.
Data shows the Everest Energy tanker, which was sanctioned by the United States last month, was found about 100 kilometers (about 50 nautical miles) off the Koryak floating storage facility in Russia’s Far East .
The installation is intended to facilitate Russian LNG exports to Asia, but the final destination of the cargo has not yet been revealed.
The Northern Sea Route along Russia’s Arctic coast from Murmansk in the west to the Bering Strait in the east is challenging and often requires icebreakers, butSea transport time between Europe and Asia can be reduced.
The Arctic LNG 2 project, in which Russia’s Novatek (NVTK.MM) has a 60% stake, has been stymied by the West because of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The project was to be one of Russia’s largest LNG plants, with an eventual output of 19.8 million tonnes per year, but its prospects have been diminished by sanctions.
Still, recent ship tracking data has shown that several cargoes are being shipped outside the project as Russia seeks to find buyers for its lucrative energy exports.
