Russian LNG supplies to Europe have significantly decreased. Most Yamal LNG tankers headed to Asia using the navigation window along the Northern Sea Route. Experts believe that this does not mean that EU countries are abandoning Russian liquefied gas.
According to AIS data, the bulk of the fleet of Russia’s largest LNG project, Yamal LNG, operates on the Asian route along the Northern Sea Route. Thus, 14 gas tankers out of a fleet of 26 tankers are delivering cargo to Asia or returning. At the same time, only three of the 15 Arc7 icebreaker class tankers remained on European routes. According to the data, two more are undergoing preventive maintenance in Denmark.
This is a fairly traditional scenario, as late summer and the second half of autumn are the peak shipping times on the Northern Sea Route, during which large volumes of Yamal LNG are delivered to Asian customers.
European countries excluding Turkey imported around 0.7 million tonnes (950 million cubic metres) from Russian ports this month, down 0.4 million tonnes from the previous month and the lowest level since August last year. – reports Montel, citing preliminary data from Kpler.
“I think this is mainly due to the fact that more cargo is heading to Asia along the NSR,” a source told the trade publication.
Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies Mike Fullwood He said Spain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands remain the main importers of Yamal LNG, but in recent weeks much of it has gone to China.
Market participants told Montel that the drop in Yamal LNG exports to the west is unlikely to reflect EU efforts to phase out Russian-sourced gas.
“I don’t think European players are avoiding Russian volumes, except those under sanctions,” the source said. “Europe will likely need new liquefaction capacity (in the US) before it can move away from Russian LNG.”
As reported EADaily In 2024, Gazprom increased pipeline gas exports to Europe, but Russian LNG supplies to EU countries remained at the same level. Russia’s total share of gas imports to the EU has increased to an impressive 18%, the European Energy Commissioner said. Kadri Simson.
