Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping has begun to show results. Moscow has pushed ahead with gas supplies from its heavily sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project, and the second shipment of liquefied natural gas has now reached Beijing. The delivery came just days after both leaders met recently during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
The latest shipment was confirmed through data seen on Sunday. According to the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), which provides detailed shipping, trade and energy flow data through its subsidiary Refinitiv, the Russian vessel Voskhod LNG dropped anchor at the LNG terminal in Tieshan Port in Guangxi, southwest China, before heading south. The tanker was loaded with nearly 150,000 cubic metres of LNG, lifted in July from the Arctic LNG 2 facility located in Gyda, northern Siberia.
Second Sanctioned Cargo
This delivery marks the second consignment of sanctioned LNG from the project to reach Chinese ports. At the end of August, the tanker Arctic Mulan docked at Beihai LNG terminal, making it the first restricted cargo from Arctic LNG 2 to arrive for end users in China.
The project only began production in December 2023, but supplies have struggled to keep pace due to shortages of ice-class carriers and heavy Western sanctions linked to the war in Ukraine.
Putin’s Visit Sets The Stage
The timing of the shipment has drawn attention. Putin’s visit to China included SCO engagements and celebrations of wartime victory, highlighting the political weight of the energy partnership.
Arctic LNG 2 is majority-owned by Russia’s Novatek, holding 60 percent. It was designed to be one of Russia’s largest LNG ventures, with a planned output of 19.8 million metric tonnes per year. Sanctions, however, have cast uncertainty over those ambitions.
US Response Under Watch
The move raises fresh questions in Washington. The United States recently imposed a 50 percent tariff on Indian purchases of Russian crude. However, despite China being the biggest buyer of Russian oil and gas, no such action has been taken against Beijing. The arrival of a second sanctioned LNG cargo in Chinese ports may increase pressure on the Trump administration to respond.
Russia Pushes Exports Despite Sanctions
Data from Kpler shows that last year, eight shipments left the Arctic LNG 2 site aboard sanctioned carriers, four of which were discharged at the Koryak FSU terminal. This year, six cargoes have already been recorded. Several sanctioned tankers are now navigating the Northern Sea Route towards Asia.
LSEG tracking indicates two Russian vessels positioned near the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Far East, while another has been spotted in the South China Sea, between Taiwan and Hainan Island.
The shipments highlight Moscow’s determination to sustain LNG exports despite Western pressure. For Beijing, the supplies highlight its role as Russia’s key energy customer at a time when the United States is tightening trade restrictions on other buyers.
