Russian Gas Condensate Deliveries to Europe Continue to Fly Under Radar

As Western attention remains focused on Russia’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas shadow fleet, a third type of fuel, gas condensate, continues to flow into Europe without much public scrutiny. 

Russia operates two dedicated ice-capable condensate tankers, Yuriy Kuchiev and Boris Sokolov, for its Yamal LNG project. Neither vessel has been sanctioned by the U.S. or Europe. A third vessel, Anatoly Lamekhov, purpose-built by Guangzhou Shipyard in southern China, is set to work with Russia’s new Arctic LNG 2 project. It recently underwent sea trials and remains at a Hong Kong anchorage. 

With an Arc7 ice-class all three are able to operate largely independent through Russia’s Arctic waters year-round. 

Both Yuriy Kuchiev and Boris Sokolov continue to carry condensate into major Europea…