politics
EU Restrictions Could End Practice:
Russian LNG Carriers Stopped More Than 40 Times Off Northern Norway Since 2024
Icebreaking LNG tankers carrying Russian gas have stopped more than 40 times off northern Norway highlighting how Norwegian waters are part of the logistics chain supporting Russian Arctic gas exports. Will new EU rules encourage Norway to ban the practice?
Published
Modified
Specialized icebreaking liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers serving Russia’s Yamal LNG project have stopped more than 40 times in waters off the northern Norwegian port of Honningsvåg since early 2024, continuing a practice that has become an established part of Arctic shipping logistics despite mounting European sanctions pressure.
The latest stop took place on May 10-11, when the Arc7 LNG carrier Boris Davydov paused for several hours outside Honningsvåg before continuing its voyage, according to ship tracking data reviewed by High North News (HNN).
The vessels, designed to operate year-round in the ice-covered waters of the Russian Arctic, routinely “swing by” the waters off Norway’s North Cape during voyages between the Yamal LNG terminal in Sabetta, Russia, and markets in Europe and Asia.
Automatic Identification System (AIS) tracking data analyzed by HNN shows the Norwegian stopovers have become deeply integrated into the logistics chain underpinning Russia’s Arctic LNG exports.
Norway part of logistics chain
Since February 2024, HNN counted more than 40 separate occasions where one of the 14 Arc7 LNG carriers serving Russia’s Yamal LNG stopped outside Honningsvåg. The vessels typically remain in the area for a few hours before resuming their journeys.
Past reporting by HNN showed the stopovers were linked to logistical support activities including crew changes, deliveries of provisions, and other offshore vessel services.
The LNG tanker Boris Davydov accounted for the largest share, with 11 stops, followed by Boris Vilkitsky with eight and Nikolay Urvantsev with six. In 2026 alone, six different Arc7 vessels have already stopped in the area, indicating the practice remains ongoing despite intensifying scrutiny of Russian LNG exports.
Additional stops were by Nikolay Zubov (5 visits), Georgiy Brusilov (4 visits), Vladimir Vize (4 visits), Fedor Litke (2 visits), Georgiy Ushakov, Vladimir Voronin, Eduard Toll, Rudolf Samoylovich, and Vladimir Rusanov (all 1 visit).
The vessels are not currently subject to sanctions, nor is the Yamal LNG project itself. As a result, the stopovers and associated maritime services remain legal under existing Norwegian and European sanctions frameworks.
Norwegian firms involved
Industry sources previously said the calls were linked to logistical support activities such as crew changes, deliveries of provisions and other ship services facilitated offshore rather than in port.
In earlier cases, Norway-based shipping services company GAC Norway acted as agent for some of the vessels. Asked whether it continues to provide services to the Arc7 fleet off Honningsvåg, GAC Norway declined to comment on specific operations.
“GAC Norway operates strictly within applicable regulations and industry standards. As a matter of company policy, we do not disclose details about specific vessel operations or client arrangements,” the company said at the time.
The company did not respond to further requests for comment on whether it currently services Arc7 LNG carriers linked to Yamal LNG.
Representatives of the Ports of the North Cape, which oversees the port of Honningsvåg, previously told HNN they were not involved in providing services to the vessels and referred inquiries regarding offshore activities to GAC as the shipping agent.
EU to ban services for LNG
The repeated Norwegian stopovers come as the European Union prepares a broader clampdown on Russian LNG-related shipping activities.
As part of the bloc’s 20th sanctions package adopted last month, the EU introduced restrictions targeting services provided to LNG tankers operating in Russia.
The measures, due to enter into force on Jan. 1, 2027, prohibit the direct or indirect provision of “technical assistance, brokering services or financial assistance” related to LNG tanker vessels operating in Russia or intended for use there.
While the sanctions stop short of directly targeting the Arc7 fleet or Yamal LNG exports themselves, they are expected to complicate support operations involving European companies.
Will Norway follow EU
The future impact on operations off northern Norway remains unclear.
Norway, while not an EU member, has largely aligned itself with the scope and breadth of European sanctions imposed on Russia since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
If Oslo mirrors the EU measures, it could effectively end the provision of services to Arc7 LNG carriers operating outside Honningsvåg. Norwegian authorities have previously argued they lack the legal authority to deny unsanctioned vessels access to territorial waters or maritime services.
The issue highlights the continued complexity of Europe’s relationship with Russian LNG, which has largely avoided the stricter sanctions imposed on Russian oil exports.
Despite efforts by Brussels to reduce dependence on Russian energy, Russian LNG shipments to Europe have continued at elevated levels since the start of the war, with Arctic shipping routes and the Arc7 LNG tankers remaining a critical part of Moscow’s export infrastructure.
