Nov 4, 2025
Early winter ice disrupts LNG deliveries to China from the Arctic.
Sanctioned LNG vessels transporting liquefied natural gas from Russia's Arctic LNG 2 project are encountering early winter ice on the Northern Sea Route, potentially leading to reduced deliveries to China as Arctic temperatures drop.
The Buran vessel, which discharged a cargo at a floating storage unit in Kamchatka on October 26, entered the Northern Sea Route north of the Bering Strait on October 29, according to maritime news outlet gCaptain, which referenced satellite data and tanker-tracking services.
Images from Maritime Optima indicate that the Buran has been attempting to navigate through the Northern Sea Route since October 29 due to early winter ice.
Additional tanker-tracking data reveals that Novatek, the company operating Arctic LNG 2, has begun to withdraw its non-ice-class vessels from the Northern Sea Route and redirect them via the Suez Canal, as reported by gCaptain.
Since the beginning of Russian deliveries to China's Beihai import terminal, most of the LNG has been stored there, according to Kjell Eikland, managing director of data provider Eikland Energy.
Currently, only one ship from Arctic LNG 2, the La Perouse, is headed to Beihai, Eikland noted.
With the official start of the Northern Sea Route winter season approaching in two weeks, Eikland Energy predicts that consistent deliveries of Arctic LNG 2 to Beihai, at the levels seen in the past two months, will not be feasible.
After over a year of trying to sell cargoes, Arctic LNG successfully found a typical customer—one LNG import terminal in China, which has received sanctioned cargoes on blacklisted vessels since August. Beihai has received at least 11 shipments from Arctic LNG in just two months.
The Arctic LNG 2 project resumed operations in August, indicating that Russia may be testing the U.S. administration's readiness to sanction its LNG customers in China. The onset of trade between Russia and China from the U.S.-sanctioned project coincided with Vladimir Putin's visit to China in late August and early September.
The Buran vessel, which discharged a cargo at a floating storage unit in Kamchatka on October 26, entered the Northern Sea Route north of the Bering Strait on October 29, according to maritime news outlet gCaptain, which referenced satellite data and tanker-tracking services.
Images from Maritime Optima indicate that the Buran has been attempting to navigate through the Northern Sea Route since October 29 due to early winter ice.
Additional tanker-tracking data reveals that Novatek, the company operating Arctic LNG 2, has begun to withdraw its non-ice-class vessels from the Northern Sea Route and redirect them via the Suez Canal, as reported by gCaptain.
Since the beginning of Russian deliveries to China's Beihai import terminal, most of the LNG has been stored there, according to Kjell Eikland, managing director of data provider Eikland Energy.
Currently, only one ship from Arctic LNG 2, the La Perouse, is headed to Beihai, Eikland noted.
With the official start of the Northern Sea Route winter season approaching in two weeks, Eikland Energy predicts that consistent deliveries of Arctic LNG 2 to Beihai, at the levels seen in the past two months, will not be feasible.
After over a year of trying to sell cargoes, Arctic LNG successfully found a typical customer—one LNG import terminal in China, which has received sanctioned cargoes on blacklisted vessels since August. Beihai has received at least 11 shipments from Arctic LNG in just two months.
The Arctic LNG 2 project resumed operations in August, indicating that Russia may be testing the U.S. administration's readiness to sanction its LNG customers in China. The onset of trade between Russia and China from the U.S.-sanctioned project coincided with Vladimir Putin's visit to China in late August and early September.