Arrival of the Second Shipment of Russian LNG Subject to US Sanctions to China
The liquefied natural gas tanker "Voskod" arrived at the Beihai import terminal in southern China on Saturday, marking the second import of its kind from the Russian "LNG 2" plant in the Arctic, which is subject to US sanctions.
The arrival of the tanker, according to ship tracking data collected by Bloomberg News, is part of Beijing's efforts to expand its energy relations with Moscow, in a move seen as a challenge to US pressures.
This arrival follows shortly after the first shipments from the plant reached China in late August, coinciding with the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which bilateral cooperation in the energy sector was strengthened. According to the German news agency (DPA), this enhancement included "a series of gas pipeline agreements".
It is noted that the "LNG 2" plant in the Arctic has faced significant difficulties in finding buyers since it was "blacklisted by the administration of former US President Joe Biden in 2023".
Subsequent shipments are expected to face logistical challenges, as "other shipments may take longer to arrive due to ice accumulation on the Northern Sea Route, making it difficult for conventional vessels to cross the shorter route to Asia."
