Second ‘Shadow Fleet’ LNG Carrier Navigates Arctic’s Harsh Ice Conditions

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) –

Undeterred by tough sea ice conditions in the East Siberian and Chukchi Sea, Russia has dispatched a conventional LNG carrier across the Arctic. Asya Energy departed from the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project over the weekend loaded with the fifth cargo lifted from the facility. It is following the path of last week’s voyage by Everest Energy, which has now reached the northern Pacific.

The 22-year old Asya Energy is sailing on a suspended Palauan vessel registration and likely does not comply with the International Maritime Organization’s Polar Code. It also does not hold a Northern Sea Route permit violating Russia’s own navigational rules, which require any vessel traveling along the waterway to hold a permit.

In order to receive a permit from the Northern Sea Route Administration vessels have to comply with the Polar Code. Not having received a permit is indicative that the vessel does not comply with the IMO regulation. 

“It’s hard to know if it complies with the Polar Code. The only way would be to have access to its certificate issued by the flag administration. It is compulsory,” explains Hervé Baudu, Arctic shipping expert and Chief Professor of Maritime Education at the French Maritime Academy (ENSM). 

“It’s hard to see whether the ship has taken on board all the safety equipment required to comply with the Polar Code. But I doubt very much that the company has taken this step,” he continued.

In addition the Code requires mandatory training for the bridge teams, which require certain notice to attend courses at recognized training centers. 

Russia’s main Arctic shipping route did not fully clear of sea ice this summer. With the annual minimum ice extent just days away, first year ice continues to obstruct parts of the passage. 

Nuclear icebreaker Ural remains on standby near Wrangel Island between the Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea. It convoyed a container ship and bulk carrier across the ice last week, in what Russian officials described as “difficult ice conditions.” The icebreaker escort across the ice lasted for around 150 nautical miles. 

“Despite the difficult ice conditions in the Chukchi and East Siberian Seas, the crews of the nuclear icebreaker Ural and the convoy worked in a coordinated and professional manner, which helped ensure safe passage through a section of compact ice and maintain commercial speed,” explained Andrey Tenitsky of Atomflot, the operator of Russia’s nuclear icebreakers.

Ice charts confirm the presence of sea ice in the region. Recent AIS tracks of Ural show the extensive work needed to keep shipping lanes open and escort commercial vessels through the ice. A recent photo of nuclear icebreakers Ural and Vaygach in the East Siberian Sea also highlights the persistent broken ice coverage.

Even with sea ice persisting along parts of the route transit traffic looks set for a new record in 2024. At the half-way point of the summer and fall navigation season around 1.3 million tons of transit cargo have already been carried through the Arctic, primarily Russian crude oil en route to China bypassing the Red Sea turmoil. Among the 30 transit voyages are several firsts, including the first Panamax container ship and the first non-ice class LNG carrier. 

Arctic cargo traffic is dominated by the Russia-China connection with 98 percent of volume flowing between the two countries.