A liquefied natural gas tanker that recently docked at the sanctioned Arctic LNG-2 export facility in Russia is heading toward Europe, ship tracking data compiled by Bloomberg show.
Pioneer is moving southwest from the Barents Sea and lists its destination as “for orders,” according to the data compiled by Bloomberg. The vessel previously sent signals showing an incorrect location and its current position hasn’t been confirmed. It’s also not clear whether it will unload in Europe or continue to other locations.
Traders are watching the tanker’s movements and its ultimate destination as it remains unclear who purchased what is potentially the first cargo loaded at the sanctioned project led by Russia’s Novatek PJSC. Novatek didn’t respond to requests for comments on the tanker.
Russia has a direct route to LNG buyers in China across the Arctic in the summer, but even with the seasonal navigation across the Northern Sea Route in full swing, ice conditions are described as “heavy” in the eastern Arctic, according to Russia’s Northern Sea Route administration. The tanker may therefore have taken the longer route to Asia via Europe.
“It remains to be seen whether any Asian buyer will be willing to test US’ determination on its sanctions on Arctic LNG-2,” said Massimo Di-Odoardo, vice president of gas and LNG research at Wood Mackenzie Ltd.
The tanker is part of a suspected “dark fleet” of vessels that Russia is assembling to carry gas cargoes to potential buyers. The US government imposed sanctions on Arctic LNG-2 last November, preventing the project from starting exports.
Earlier satellite images showed the ship docked at the Russian LNG export plant around Aug. 1. The vessel was not seen on tanker trackers approaching the plant or departing because of suspected manipulation of its automated identification system, or AIS, transponder, a common hallmark of the shadow fleet.
The tanker is currently managed by Ocean Speedstar Solutions, according to global shipping database Equasis. Available ship-tracking data doesn’t show an increase in the draft.
According to Lu Ming Pang, a senior gas and LNG research analyst at Rystad Energy, it also may not be possible to track the recipient of the ship’s fuel.
“The vessel is now heavily tracked. It is risky for the vessel to turn on its AIS signals near its receiving destination,” Pang said.
Asya Energy, another LNG vessel suspected to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet, is also currently shown circling around the same spot in the Barents Sea, where the Pioneer was last officially seen.
Russian navigation regulations limit the types of ships that are allowed to cross the eastern Arctic during heavy ice conditions without ice-breaker escorts, which prevents some from taking the shortest route to Asia.
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