A liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker that is currently under US sanctions is sailing toward a major Russian export terminal. The tanker, named Iris, was previously known as North Sky and was sanctioned by the United States in 2023.
Per ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg, the vessel is currently en route to Sabetta, a remote port in northern Siberia that serves as the base for the Yamal LNG export terminal. The ship is expected to arrive by June 26.
Yamal LNG, Russia’s largest liquefied natural gas export terminal, continues to deliver natural gas to Europe. While the plant remains operational and free from direct sanctions, loading fuel onto a vessel that has already been blacklisted could put the terminal under renewed scrutiny from the US and its allies.
So far, both the United States and Europe have avoided imposing sanctions directly on Yamal LNG in order to maintain steady gas supplies to European markets.
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