Russian fuel big Gazprom shipped a primary cargo of liquefied pure fuel (LNG) from its plant on the shores of the Baltic Sea through the Northern Sea route, in accordance with Refinitiv ship monitoring knowledge.
According to the information, the Velikiy Novgorod tanker was loaded with LNG from the Portovaya LNG plant on Aug. 14. As of Tuesday, it was shifting within the Barents Sea within the Arctic. The last vacation spot for the cargo has not been disclosed.
Earlier this month, Russia additionally shipped a uncommon naphta cargo through the North Sea route, in accordance with merchants and Refinitiv knowledge.
Russia has lengthy considered the route, which runs from Murmansk close to Russia’s border with Norway eastwards to the Bering Strait close to Alaska, as a substitute for the Suez Canal.
Although the route is bodily difficult, it might minimize sea transport occasions between Europe and Asia at a time when Russia’s commerce with Western international locations is at post-Cold War lows following Moscow’s choice to ship troops into Ukraine.
The Portovaya LNG with annual output capability of 1.5 million tons began manufacturing final September. LNG cargoes from the plant had to this point been shipped solely to Turkey or Greece.
Gazprom has not replied to a request for remark.
(Reporting by Oksana Kobzeva; writing by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
