Energy & Science
Russia Prepares Earliest-Ever Arctic LNG Shipment to Asia
- LNG cargo from Yamal to use normally frozen Northern Sea Route
- Longer shipping Arctic seasons show impact of climate change
An Arctic tanker loading liquefied natural gas at the Yamal LNG plant in the port of Sabetta, Russia.
Photographer: Alexander Ryumin/TASS/Getty Images
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Russia is preparing to make the earliest-ever shipment of liquefied natural gas to Asia, taking advantage of thinning ice in the Arctic Ocean and paving the way for a record-long navigation season this year.
The super-chilled cargo from Novatek PJSC’s Yamal LNG facility in early May will beat last year’s record for the start of eastbound voyages through the Northern Sea Route by almost two weeks if the plan works out, according to people familiar with the situation. It will travel with an ice-breaker.