Ghost Tankers: How Russia is Trying to Bypass Sanctions

4 tankers for transporting liquefied natural gas have changed their flag to Russian and are heading to the Arctic, where gas from the "Arctic LNG-2" project is stored.

Four gas carriers that recently changed their flag to Russian are reportedly heading to Murmansk, which may indicate their involvement in efforts to expand exports from projects sanctioned by the U.S., bb.lv reports, citing Bloomberg.

The vessels — "Kosmos," "Luch," "Orion," and "Merkuriy" — are moving north in the Atlantic, with one of them, according to ship tracking data, indicating Murmansk in western Russia. This port is located near the floating gas storage facility "Saam," where gas from the "Arctic LNG-2" project, which is under U.S. sanctions, is stored.

The tankers changed their flags to Russian according to the ship database Equasis, and the vessels were acquired in March and April after a change of ownership. They were previously owned by Oman Ship Management Co. or its subsidiaries.

These vessels have the characteristic features of the so-called shadow fleet: they are older than typical gas carriers still in operation and were recently transferred to lesser-known companies through opaque intermediaries.

According to data analysis conducted by Bloomberg, at least sixteen tankers have transported LNG from Russian facilities that are under sanctions. One of them was attacked in March and is no longer in operation. According to Equasis data, in February, the vessels "Kosmos" and "Luch" transferred to the ownership of the Hong Kong company Mighty Ocean Shipping Ltd., while the vessels "Orion" and "Merkuriy" transferred to the ownership of Celtic Maritime & Trading SA.

The movement of liquefied gas tankers under the Russian flag towards the Arctic indicates Moscow's attempts to adapt to sanction pressure and maintain LNG export flows. The use of vessels with signs of a "shadow fleet" — changes in ownership, flags, and opaque management structures — indicates a systematic approach to circumventing restrictions.

At the same time, such schemes are associated with increased risks — both in terms of transportation safety and potential incidents, which are already being recorded.

Thus, bb.lv writes, despite the sanctions, Russia continues to seek alternative logistical solutions; however, the effectiveness of these measures and their sustainability in the long term remain in question.