First Arctic LNG Carrier Part of Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Heads to Chinese Shipyard For Possible Maintenance

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) – After more than nine months at sea sanctioned LNG carrier East Energy (formerly Asya Energy) has pulled into a Zhoushan-based shipyard, likely to undergo maintenance or repairs. It is the first ‘shadow fleet’ LNG carrier of Arctic LNG 2 project visiting a Chinese yard. 

East Energy is part of Russia’s emerging LNG shadow fleet carrying liquefied gas from the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 mega project. It is one of five vessels loading cargo at the Arctic gas plant during a three-months period beginning in August 2024. 

Another sanctioned LNG carrier, the ice-capable Arc7 Christophe de Margerie, spent several months at the Zhoushan facility last summer reportedly to repair damage to its hull, azimuthing propulsion units, and its N2 (nitrogen) system. 

Sources say the Christophe de Margerie’s systems remain compromised nearly a year later. Chartered to Novatek’s Yamal project the vessel has not transported LNG since June of last year and continues to idle in the Barents and Kara Seas.

Since picking up the first cargo from Arctic LNG 2 on August 11, 2024 and a subsequent one on September 14, East Energy has been at anchor in Nakhodka Bay in Russia’s Far East or circling in the waters of the adjacent Sea of Japan. It unloaded parts of its cargo into a floating storage barge, Koryak, in Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula in mid-February 2025. 

The lack of regular inspections and poor maintenance of Russia’s global shadow fleet has become an increasing safety issue with several international agencies warning of the risk. The country operates hundreds of so-called dark vessels outside the accepted maritime safety standards.

In contrast to the fleet of aging oil tankers, Russia’s LNG shadow fleet consists of relatively modern vessels. East Energy is from 2002 with the other sanctioned LNG carriers consisting of a mix of older and newer vessels: Pioneer (2005), Nova Energy (2007), Metagas Everest (2003), Mulan (2024), and four newbuilding North-Series LNGC North Air, North Mountain, North Sky, and North Way (all 2023/2024). 

But their more complex technical systems also make them more challenging to maintain than oil tankers.

Currently the fleet of fifteen Arc7 LNG carriers chartered to the Yamal project relies entirely on European yards in France and Denmark for routine maintenance. However, Damen Shiprepair in Brest, France and Fayard A/S in Odense, Denmark have been facing growing public pressure to stop providing their services to the vessels. 

Between February 2022 and August 2024 the two yards serviced fourteen Arc7 LNG carriers. The only Arc7 vessel currently not welcome in European yards is the aforementioned Christophe de Margerie. Due to its Russian ownership background, it remains controlled by sanctioned entity Sovcomflot, the vessel is no longer welcome in Europe resulting in its visit to the Zhoushan yard last summer.

Even across European facilities maintenance for the Arc7 vessels is becoming more cumbersome with suppliers and subcontractors increasingly hesitant to work on or provide services to vessels associated with the Russian energy project. It can often take many weeks or months to overcome administrative roadblocks to secure spare parts for fear of violating sanctions, one industry source told gCaptain.

With several dozen LNG carriers categorized as “risky” by maritime watchdogs, the challenge of where to maintain and repair sanctioned vessels will gain further prominence.

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