Nova-Energy Vessel Reviews and Specifications

Despite the rising tensions in the Middle East, Russia's Arctic LNG shadow fleet continues to operate with remarkable resilience. Recent reports indicate that at least seven tankers have been actively transiting or are currently en route through the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, facilitating shipments to and from Asia. This comes at a time when numerous global shipping companies are opting to reroute their vessels to bypass the increasingly unstable region. Tankers involved in transporting Russian LNG from the Arctic have been utilizing this crucial shortcut to Asia without disruption. Among these vessels, the southbound 'La Perouse' has successfully completed its transit through the Suez Canal and has entered the Red Sea, while the northbound 'Arctic Pioneer' approaches the canal after its passage through the Red Sea. Further south, the 'Arctic Mulan' and 'Iris' are journeying eastward after clearing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Meanwhile, in the Indian Ocean, the 'Nova Energy' and 'Arctic Vostok' are on course for the Red Sea and Suez Canal. Additionally, the 'Arctic Metagaz' is making its way toward the canal from the Mediterranean Sea. This movement sharply contrasts with the growing concerns surrounding Qatari LNG exports that must navigate the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint that has experienced a slowdown in traffic and heightened security measures recently.

As the summer maintenance season unfolds, notable action is happening at the Fayard A/S shipyard in Odense, where the first Arc7 ice-class gas carriers supporting the Yamal LNG project are docking for essential repairs. The 'Nikolay Urvantsev' (IMO: 9750660), under the charter of Novatek's Yamal LNG initiative, arrived at the drydock on June 26, 2025, and resumed its voyage approximately one week later. Following closely, the Arc7 LNG carrier 'Fedor Litke' (IMO: 9768370), operated by Dynagas, reached the Fayard A/S yard on July 17 after a delivery in Dunkerque and was still in drydock as of July 24. Operations have designated a condensed repair schedule for these Arctic LNG carriers, which face challenging conditions along Russia's Northern Sea Route. Damen Shiprepair, focusing on the hull maintenance of these vessels—a necessity as they navigate through dense Arctic ice—has confirmed adherence to all international sanctions regulations against Russia. While these LNG carriers have not been directly sanctioned by the U.S. or the EU, their repair activities remain compliant with international law. However, the procurement of spare parts has become increasingly complex, as suppliers of crucial equipment like gas chromatographs and flow meters have imposed restrictions due to concerns over sanctions. This turmoil has prompted several sanctioned LNG carriers, including an Arc7 and various Arc4 ice-class vessels, to seek maintenance in Chinese shipyards. Notably, the 'Christophe de Margerie' spent a significant period undergoing repairs at a Zhoushan Island yard located east of Shanghai during the summer of 2024. Currently, two additional sanctioned Russian gas carriers, the 'Sputnik Energy' (IMO: 9256602) and the 'Nova Energy,' are docked at Zhoushan yards, indicating a shifting landscape for maritime maintenance amid regulatory pressures.

On the evening of June 2, 2025, the LNG carrier 'Arctic Mulan' (formerly known as 'Mulan') docked at the Koryak Floating Storage Unit (FSU) in Bechevinskaya Bay, Kamchatka. This vessel has been in ballast for a staggering five months, indicating it is poised to take on cargo from the storage barge. Last week, industry experts suggested that the 'Arctic Mulan's' swift journey from the Mediterranean Sea to Koryak could signal a breakthrough in Novatek's extensive efforts to find a buyer for sanctioned natural gas from the Arctic LNG 2 project. It is speculated that a potential buyer may be in place, likely in China, although the specific destination for the 'Arctic Mulan' remains unclear. Previously, the tanker loaded LNG from the Arctic LNG 2 initiative on September 22, 2024, and offloaded its cargo into the Saam FSU near Murmansk on December 20, 2024. Following this discharge, the vessel remained inactive in the North Sea and later in the Eastern Mediterranean. On May 1, it embarked on a rapid journey through the Suez Canal and the Indian Ocean, heading towards Kamchatka. Additionally, the 'Arctic Mulan' received a Northern Sea Route permit on May 28, allowing it to navigate this Arctic shipping lane between July 1 and October 31, suggesting renewed potential to load at Arctic LNG 2 over the summer months. Meanwhile, another shadow fleet tanker, 'Nova Energy' (previously known as 'New Energy'), appears to be next in line to load LNG at Koryak. This vessel has been anchored off Bechevinskaya Bay and, unlike many other dark fleet ships that have offloaded their cargo in Koryak and to the sister barge Saam since late 2024 when no buyers were available, the 'Nova Energy' remains loaded with the product it initially received from Arctic LNG 2 on October 2, 2024.

The 'Nova Energy', previously anchored in Nakhodka Bay for several weeks, was observed heading toward Russia's Koryak Floating Storage Unit (FSU) to discharge its cargo. At present, the vessel, which is approximately 70% loaded, is stationed at coordinates 42° 45' N 132° 56' E. The Koryak FSU has recently accepted cargo shipments from the 'Pioneer', currently anchored at 42° 45' N 132° 55' E in the Sea of Japan, and the 'Metagas Everest', with the combined capacity holding potentially reaching 250,000 cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG). For months, the 'Pioneer', 'Nova Energy', and 'East Energy' have remained idle off the coast of Russia's Far East, carrying LNG from Novatek's Arctic LNG 2 liquefaction facility, which has faced US sanctions. These sanctioned vessels have struggled to find buyers willing to offload the LNG shipments. While the 'Nova Energy' and 'East Energy' opted for transit via the Northern Sea Route, the 'Pioneer' navigated the Suez Canal southbound. In an update on maritime movements, the 'Mulan' departed the North Sea in ballast in early January 2025, initially heading north before reorienting to the south, with an estimated arrival in Port Said set for January 16. Meanwhile, the 'Metagas Energy', which loaded its cargo at Arctic LNG 2 in October 2024 and had been loitering north of Russia, has now followed the 'Mulan' into the Atlantic. Additionally, vessels such as the 'North Air', 'North Mountain', 'North Sky', and 'North Way' have been drifting in the Barents Sea, with 'North Air' recently beginning to move west but currently categorized as Not Under Command (NUC) in the same region. The ongoing challenges in finding buyers continue to impact these tankers, highlighting the difficulties faced within the LNG shipping market amid geopolitical tensions.

The tanker 'New Energy', which currently appears on the U.S. State Department's sanctions list for allegedly violating international regulations against Russia, has made its way into the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This sighting occurred off the coast of Galway during the evening of September 18, following its journey up the coast of Portugal and across the Bay of Biscay. On September 5, the ship was officially categorized among those sanctioned by U.S. authorities. In a statement issued by the U.S. State Department, the 'New Energy' is accused of engaging in covert operations to transfer Russian natural gas. The Department seeks to penalize two companies—Gotik Energy Shipping Co and Plio Energy Cargo Shipping OPC PVT LTD—linked to efforts aimed at exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the U.S. sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project. The 'New Energy' is owned by Gotik and managed commercially by Plio Energy. U.S. officials also allege that the tanker employed deceptive shipping practices, including disabling its Automatic Identification System (AIS) to load cargo from another sanctioned vessel in late August. The U.S. statement additionally highlighted another LNG carrier, 'Mulan', as a ship operated by Plio Energy. Notably, 'New Energy' has recently reactivated its AIS tracking system off the Portuguese coast.