Discover the Iris: Ratings & Maritime News

Despite the intensifying conflict in the Middle East, Russia's Arctic LNG shadow fleet continues its operations with remarkable resilience. Recently, at least seven tankers have been navigating through the Red Sea and the strategically significant Bab el-Mandeb Strait, en route to Asia. This development stands in stark contrast to numerous global shipping companies that are opting to reroute their vessels to sidestep the region's escalating tensions. Among the vessels integral to Russia’s Arctic LNG trade, the southbound 'La Perouse' has successfully completed its transit of the Suez Canal and is now making its way through the Red Sea. Meanwhile, the northbound 'Arctic Pioneer' is making its approach towards the canal after traversing the Red Sea. Further down south, the 'Arctic Mulan' and 'Iris' are navigating eastward after clearing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. In the Indian Ocean, the 'Nova Energy' and 'Arctic Vostok' are steadfastly headed for the Red Sea and Suez Canal, while the 'Arctic Metagaz' is also on course towards the canal, coming from the Mediterranean. These maritime movements highlight a significant divergence from the growing uncertainties surrounding Qatari exports, which must transit through the Strait of Hormuz—an area currently experiencing delays and increasing security scrutiny. The ongoing adaptability of Russia's LNG fleet amid geopolitical challenges underscores its importance in global energy supply routes.

As the winter season draws nearer, Russia's LNG shadow fleet is encountering significant hurdles in maintaining its operational pace. Since the end of August, LNG carriers have completed 13 deliveries to China’s Beihai terminal, but recent shipments have visibly slowed. Notably, the vessel 'Zarya' made a U-turn near the Faroe Islands on November 6, now charting a course back to Murmansk after loading its cargo at the Arctic LNG 2 facility just a week prior. This marked the last of twelve loadings at the plant in 2025, indicating a potential decline in activity. Meanwhile, vessels such as 'Voskhod' and 'Buran' have been navigating through the ice-choked Arctic route, tailing behind nuclear icebreakers. Their expeditions may represent the final journeys for Arc4 ice-class ships in the Northern Sea Route until mid-summer of 2026. The 'Iris' successfully offloaded a cargo at Beihai terminal on October 2, only to return two weeks later after veering off the eastern coast of China. This unusual turnaround raised questions among analysts, as it suggested the possibility that the cargo was rejected for not meeting specifications. On October 30, the 'Arctic Pioneer' reached the Koryak Floating Storage Unit (FSU) in Kamchatka to load cargo but returned to Koryak once again on November 8 after an extended wait outside Bechevinskaya Bay. Adding to the scene, the 'Christophe de Margerie', the only high ice-class LNG carrier capable of transporting sanctioned gas, arrived outside Koryak nearly two weeks ago and made its first call to the FSU on November 5. This vessel has been consistently transporting LNG from Arctic LNG 2 to Koryak, completing four trips over the last two months at impressive speeds, occasionally exceeding 20 knots along the Northern Sea Route, nearing its maximum velocity in open water. With its Arc7 ice classification, the 'Christophe de Margerie' remains the sole operational LNG carrier on this project capable of navigating the icy waters of the Northern Sea Route. However, the vessel’s recent lack of activity could signal a downturn in production at Arctic LNG 2 until shipping lanes in the north reopen again in July 2026.

A fleet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers is en route to Asia from the Arctic LNG 2 facility in Siberia, following U.S. sanctions. This movement raises questions about Washington's commitment to enforcing trade restrictions during ongoing discussions regarding the conflict in Ukraine. The vessels 'Iris' and 'Voskhod' (IMO: 9953511) embarked on their journey toward North Asia on August 15, after being docked for several weeks. Additionally, two other tankers recently loaded at the Arctic LNG 2 facility and set sail for Asia last week. It remains uncertain whether these four ships will secure buyers in the increasingly competitive market. Approximately a dozen vessels, capable of navigating icy conditions, have been prepared to operate at the Arctic LNG 2, with some changing management firms multiple times to obscure their ownership. In the summer of 2024, the facility delivered eight cargoes but was forced to suspend operations in October due to difficulties in finding buyers and the seasonal ice encroachment. Although the plant, which faced initial sanctions from the Biden administration, began loading operations again in June, no cargo has successfully reached an import terminal yet.

On June 26, the sanctioned tanker 'Iris' successfully docked at the Arctic LNG 2 facility in Russia. Should the vessel take on gas, it would represent a significant milestone as the ninth LNG cargo sourced from this ambitious Arctic project. The previous cargo was loaded onto the tanker 'Arctic Metagaz' on October 5, 2024. It's worth noting that in the same month, the U.S. State Department enacted sanctions against the registered owners and managers of several LNG vessels, including the 'Iris', which had previously operated under the name 'North Sky'.

The sanctioned LNG vessel 'Iris', previously known as 'North Sky', made its way through Kara Gate, marking its entry into Russia's Northern Sea Route on June 24. It appears to be en route to the Arctic LNG 2 plant after spending several months in ballast in the Barents Sea. The ship's AIS shows Sabetta as its destination, which might be a strategic maneuver. A visit from a sanctioned LNG carrier to the Arctic LNG 2 project, owned by Novatek, would be an unusual and potentially hazardous move, especially regarding its relationship with the unsanctioned Yamal LNG project. For the past nine months, approximately a dozen sanctioned LNG carriers have remained mainly inactive, scattered across the Barents Sea and the Sea of Japan, biding their time for the Arctic sea ice to diminish.

In late May 2025, multiple sanctioned liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers were given the green light to navigate through Russia's Northern Sea Route for the upcoming summer. Among the vessels granted permission are the shadow fleet members from the previous summer: 'Arctic Metagas' (formerly known as 'Everest Energy') and 'Arctic Mulan' (previously named 'Mulan'). Additionally, the recently reflagged and sanctioned tankers 'Iris' (previously 'North Sky'), 'Buran' (formerly 'North Air'), 'Voskhod' (previously 'North Mountain'), and 'Zarya' (earlier 'North Way') have also received permits. In total, nearly 30 LNG carriers are expected to traverse Russia's Arctic waters in the coming months. Notably, among these vessels are at least six conventional gas tankers that do not possess ice-class capabilities. The majority of the fleet operating in this region remains unsanctioned and continues to legally transport liquefied gas sourced from the Yamal LNG project.