EU excluded three gas carriers from sanctions: the owner promises not to carry Yamal LNG

In the 18th package of sanctions The EU has removed from restrictions three LNG tankers that previously carried Yamal liquefied natural gas. The courts were also accused of exporting shipments from the sanctioned Arctic LNG—2. The Japanese shipowner convinced Brussels that he would no longer carry Yamal gas.

The European Union has withdrawn from sanctions the gas carriers North Moon, North Ocean and North Light, which belong to the Japanese Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. Previously in Brussels suspected that the vessels were transporting not only LNG from the Yamal LNG project, but also the Arctic LNG—2 sanctioned one.

"For the first time The EU has agreed to exclude three vessels from its list of sub-sanctioned vessels after firm commitments that these LNG tankers will no longer participate in the transportation of Russian energy carriers to the Russian Yamal and Arctic LNG—2 projects for which they were originally commissioned," the European Commission said in a Q&A according to the new sanctions package against Russia.

Vessels can return to work after making firm commitments, the EC said.

According to AIS of vessels, LNG tankers of Japanese Mitsui O.S.K. Lines were not engaged in the export of Arctic LNG — 2, but transported liquefied gas from Yamal LNG. But they still fell under sanctions. All three tankers are new and were specially ordered by a Japanese company for Arctic projects in Russia.

Now the tankers are in Indonesia.

At the same time, three gas carriers are not the only vessels of the Japanese company that carry Yamal LNG. Three ice-class tankers continue to operate: Nikolay Urvantsev, Vladimir Visa and Vladimir Rusanov.

Previously, the Yamal LNG fleet had only one tanker of the Russian company, Sovcomflot. However, "Christophe de Margerie" was sanctioned by the United States.