According to Bloomberg, tankers carrying sanctioned liquefied natural gas from Russia gathered off the country’s far eastern coast.
The vessels, Nova Energy, Pioneer and Asya Energy are all loaded shipments from the Arctic LNG 2 facility in northern Russia, which has been targeted by US sanctions, according to Bloomberg. Pioneer is now anchored off the port of Nakhodka, with the two other ships also nearby, ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg show.
As Bloomberg reports, this is a sign of the difficulties in finding buyers in the midst of ever-tightening western restrictions.
The ships’ journeys highlight the complications in trading gas from Arctic LNG 2, which began exporting fuel in August. None of the shipments have arrived at overseas ports.
Any inability to sell the gas would be a blow to President Vladimir Putin’s plans to use the Arctic to help expand the country’s trade potential, Bloomberg concludes.