The United Kingdom has sanctioned five liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers as part of a new package targeting Russia’s maritime “shadow fleet” and efforts to expand its Arctic LNG export capacity. The vessels named in the October 1 sanctions notice are Chaivo, Portovyy, Aleksey Kosygin, Konstantin Posyet and Pyotr Stolypin.
The measures prohibit their operation and chartering, bar them from UK ports and restrict maritime services linked to the ships. Three of the vessels — Aleksey Kosygin, Konstantin Posyet and Pyotr Stolypin — are Russian-built Arc7 ice-class LNG carriers intended for the Arctic LNG 2 project.
Pyotr Stolypin is still being prepared for sea trials at the Zvezda shipyard, making its designation notable as the UK moves to constrain future Russian LNG shipping capacity. Arc7 vessels are designed to navigate heavy Arctic ice without an escort, supporting LNG shipments along the Northern Sea Route.
Konstantin Posyet, delivered this year, has already sailed the route to Arctic LNG 2 and loaded a cargo at the Utrenniey terminal. The other two carriers, Chaivo and Portovyy, are older LNG tankers. The UK said Chaivo has carried Russian LNG to third countries, while Portovyy, operated by Gazprom, made an unusual voyage this summer from the Baltic through the Northern Sea Route to China.
The wider sanctions package covers 23 individuals and entities and eight vessels, including oil tankers and bunkering vessels. The measures come as Britain tightens restrictions on Russian LNG. Existing licences for transporting Russian LNG have been extended temporarily to support energy security in Japan and South Korea, while the UK’s ban on maritime and insurance services connected with Russian LNG exports is due to take effect on 1 January 2027.