Malte Humpert

Malte Humpert is an investigative journalist for gCaptain and High North News, and Senior Fellow at The Arctic Institute, which he founded in 2011. Based in Tahoe City, California, his research focuses on Arctic geopolitics, Northern Sea Route shipping, and China's interests in the polar region. He was the first journalist to report on Maersk's historic 2018 container ship voyage through the Arctic. His analysis has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and The Economist. Malte holds a Master's degree in European Studies from Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.


Thursday, February 5, 2026
Russian LNG Carrier ‘Alexey Kosygin’ Makes First Delivery, Amid Looming Arctic Fleet Crunch
Energy

Russian LNG Carrier ‘Alexey Kosygin’ Makes First Delivery, Amid Looming Arctic Fleet Crunch

Russia’s newest liquefied natural gas carrier, the Arc7 ice?class vessel Alexey Kosygin, made its inaugural delivery to the Saam floating storage and

February 5, 2026
Total Views: 7803

Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Christophe de Margerie first cargo
News

EU Buys 93 Percent of Yamal LNG As Imports Surge Ahead of 2027 Russian Ban

European buyers are aggressively importing liquefied natural gas from Russia’s Arctic Yamal LNG project as the continent prepares for a full EU ban on

February 4, 2026
Total Views: 3090

Monday, February 2, 2026
Seattle to Receive $323m to Expand US Icebreaker Base for Polar Security Cutters
Defense

Seattle to Receive $323m to Expand US Icebreaker Base for Polar Security Cutters

The US Coast Guard has confirmed plans to spend $323 million expanding and modernizing its Seattle icebreaker base, underscoring the service’s push to

February 2, 2026
Total Views: 2013

Monday, January 26, 2026
LNG Carrier ‘Alexey Kosygin’ Docks At Arctic LNG 2 Expanding Russia’s Shadow Fleet Capacity
Energy

LNG Carrier ‘Alexey Kosygin’ Docks At Arctic LNG 2 Expanding Russia’s Shadow Fleet Capacity

The Arc7 LNG carrier Alexey Kosygin has arrived at the Utrenniy terminal to presumably load its inaugural cargo from the Arctic LNG 2 project, marking the

January 26, 2026
Total Views: 1346

Thursday, January 22, 2026
France Intercepts Russian Arctic Crude Oil Aboard ‘Grinch’ in Global First
Incidents

France Intercepts Russian Arctic Crude Oil Aboard ‘Grinch’ in Global First

French naval forces intercepted and diverted the Russian-linked oil tanker Grinch on Thursday in the western Mediterranean between the southern coast of Spain

January 22, 2026
Total Views: 881

Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Arc7 LNG carrier Alexey Kosygin departing the Zvezda Shipyard en route to the Arctic ice trials
Shipping

Russia’s First Home-Built LNG Carrier Clears Crucial Arctic Ice Trials Under Nuclear Icebreaker Escort

Russia’s first domestically assembled Arc7 ice-class LNG carrier has completed more than half of its Arctic transit and ice-trial program, escorted by a

January 21, 2026
Total Views: 2004

Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Shadow Fleet Tanker ‘Hyperion’ Heads for English Channel, Testing Western Enforcement
Shipping

Shadow Fleet Tanker ‘Hyperion’ Heads for English Channel, Testing Western Enforcement

The sanctioned shadow fleet tanker Hyperion has entered the Bay of Biscay and is now heading northeast toward the English Channel. The vessel is one of just a

January 20, 2026
Total Views: 4676

Monday, January 19, 2026
yamal lng
Energy

EU Takes More than 200 Russian LNG Cargoes in 2025, Keeping Yamal’s Tanker Fleet Afloat

The EU received 207 LNG cargoes from Yamal LNG in 2025, down 10 from 217 shipments in 2024, new data show. The figures highlight how little trade flows have

January 19, 2026
Total Views: 1561

Friday, January 16, 2026
Finnish Border Guard's ship Turva escorts Cook Islands-registered oil tanker Eagle S to sea.Handout via REUTERS
Featured

Germany Denies Baltic Sea Entry to Shadow Fleet Tanker ‘Tavian’ in Unprecedented Move

In a first for Germany and a potential turning point in the battle over so-called “shadow fleet” tankers, German authorities refused the Russian-linked oil

January 16, 2026
Total Views: 74101

Thursday, January 15, 2026
US Coast Guard Updates ‘Force Design 2028’ Overhaul as Global Missions Stretch Service
USCG

US Coast Guard Updates ‘Force Design 2028’ Overhaul as Global Missions Stretch Service

The U.S. Coast Guard has released its first formal update on Force Design 2028, a sweeping reform effort aimed at reshaping the service into a more agile and

January 15, 2026
Total Views: 860

Monday, January 12, 2026
Russia’s Arctic LNG ‘Shadow Fleet’ Gains Steam With Rare Winter Double Ship-to-Ship Transfer
Energy

Russia’s Arctic LNG ‘Shadow Fleet’ Gains Steam With Rare Winter Double Ship-to-Ship Transfer

Russia’s Arctic shadow fleet logistics chain shows momentum with a rare, simultaneous ship-to-ship (STS) loading and unloading operation at the Saam floating

January 12, 2026
Total Views: 5253

Friday, January 9, 2026
U.S. forces approach the MT Olina via helicopter
News

U.S. Seizes Fifth Tanker ‘Olina’ in Caribbean, Intensifying Crackdown on Sanction-Evasion Oil Fleet 

U.S. authorities boarded and seized the oil tanker Olina in Caribbean waters on Friday, marking the fifth such interception in recent weeks as Washington

January 9, 2026
Total Views: 5189

Wednesday, January 7, 2026
US pursuing third oil tanker near Venezuela, officials say
Incidents

Oil Tanker ‘Marinera’ Enters Arctic Waters As USCG Pursues, Russia Sends Submarine Escort 

The oil tanker formerly known as Bella 1, now sailing as the Marinera under a Russian flag, has pushed into the North Atlantic and above 60° N, a latitude

January 7, 2026
Total Views: 2312

Tuesday, January 6, 2026
LNG carrier Alexey Kosygin sea trials
Energy

Russia’s New Arc7 LNG Carrier ‘Alexey Kosygin’ Steams North Toward Arctic LNG 2

The newly delivered Arc7 ice-class liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Alexey Kosygin has departed the Russian Far East on its maiden voyage and is heading

January 6, 2026
Total Views: 973

Monday, January 5, 2026
Second Shadow Tanker Off Venezuela Reflags to Russia, Testing U.S. Seizure Policy
Featured

Second Shadow Tanker Off Venezuela Reflags to Russia, Testing U.S. Seizure Policy

The oil tanker Hyperion has reflagged to the Russian registry in what analysts say is a calculated move to shield the vessel from potential U.S. seizure,

January 5, 2026
Total Views: 27270

Monday, December 29, 2025
LNG in Arctic
Shipping

Arctic Shipping Lane Sees Surge in ‘Shadow Fleet’ Traffic, Totaling 100 Sanctioned Vessels

Russia’s Arctic shipping lanes have become a corridor for the global shadow fleet of sanctioned oil and LNG tankers, raising safety, environmental, and

December 29, 2025
Total Views: 2501

Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Christophe de Margerie first cargo
Energy

Ice-class LNG Tanker Lifts First Winter Cargo From Russia’s Sanctioned Arctic LNG 2

An Arc7 ice-class liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier has completed the first-ever winter pickup of LNG from Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 plant, a milestone for the

December 23, 2025
Total Views: 7475

Monday, December 22, 2025
Sanctioned Tanker Links Russia’s Arctic Oil Trade to Venezuela for First Time
Energy

Sanctioned Tanker Links Russia’s Arctic Oil Trade to Venezuela for First Time

A sanctioned oil tanker has for the first time established a direct geographic link between Russia’s Arctic “shadow fleet” and oil product exports to

December 22, 2025
Total Views: 11943

Thursday, December 18, 2025
Chinese container ship NewNew Polar Bear in a convoy on the Northern Sea Route during an eastbound voyage in October 2023. (Source: Rosatomflot)
Shipping

China Expands Arctic Container Shipping With Record 14 Voyages in 2025

China significantly expanded its use of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in 2025, completing 14 container ship voyages between Asia and Europe, up from 11 such

December 18, 2025
Total Views: 1209

Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Russia Deploys All Eight Nuclear Icebreakers for First Time to Keep Arctic Export Routes Open
Featured

Russia Deploys All Eight Nuclear Icebreakers for First Time to Keep Arctic Export Routes Open

Russia has, for the first time, deployed its entire fleet of eight nuclear-powered icebreakers simultaneously to maintain winter shipping lanes in the Gulf of

December 16, 2025
Total Views: 559485