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Russia to Offset Vessel Shortage Imposed by Western Sanctions on Arctic LNG 2 Project with Ship-to-Ship Transfers In response to Western sanctions limiting its access to essential ice-class tankers, Russia is taking steps to streamline its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and gas condensate operations from its Arctic LNG 2 project. The country aims to boost the efficiency of cargo movements by employing ship-to-ship transfers, unloading cargo from specialized ice-class vessels to conventional tankers in the Barents and Bering Seas. This strategy allows ice-class tankers to quickly return to Arctic LNG terminals for further collections, mitigating the shortage imposed by sanctions. The sanctions, which particularly restrict the availability of ice-class vessels, have forced Russia to explore alternative logistical solutions to maintain the flow of LNG and gas condensates. By conducting ship-to-ship transfers at sea, Russia hopes to maximize the use of its limited fleet, ensuring that the critical ice-class vessels are not delayed in transit but remain focused on the Arctic terminals where their capabilities are most needed. As winter approaches and ice builds up in the Arctic, the demand for ice-class vessels is expected to rise dramatically, further intensifying logistical challenges. With additional sanctions set to take effect in March 2025, restricting entry to EU ports, Russia is racing against time to adapt its operations. If Russia moves forward with these plans, ship-to-ship transfer facilities are expected to be established at Chosha Bay, Barents Sea, and a further site at Kresta Bay in the Bering Sea. #Theia, SynMax Maritime’s maritime domain awareness platform, closely tracks developments related to Russia's Arctic LNG 2 project. By monitoring vessel movements and ship-to-ship activities in the region, #Theia provides critical, real-time intelligence on how Russia navigates the increasing constraints of Western sanctions. #ArcticLNG2 #ShipToShip #MDA #WhyGuessWhenYouCanKnow