In russia, the tanker IMO 9904546 is referred to as the flagship of the new generation of the Arctic transport fleet. The vessel has a high Arc7 ice class, which allows it to operate in harsh climatic conditions, independently breaking through ice over 2 m thick. The tanker features improved ice-class hull contours and technical solutions that ensure safe operation in low temperatures, enabling the gas carrier to navigate the Northern Sea Route year-round.
Technical specifications and main dimensions of the tanker: length – 300 m, width – 48.8 m; draft – 11.7 m, deadweight – 81,000 metric tons, capacity – 172,600 cubic meters, LNG storage system – diaphragm type; propulsion system power – 45 MW (three full-turn propeller-rudder units, 15 MW each, manufactured locally at OOO "VRC Sapphire Plant" (Bolshoy Kamen).
The tanker operates under the russian flag, is registered in St. Petersburg, and has a crew of 31 russian sailors.
The tanker, IMO 9904546, is the first tanker built in russia for the transport of liquefied natural gas.
The vessel was built at the russian shipyard SSK Zvezda LLC (TIN 2503032517), which is subject to sanctions, with significant delays due to a lack of experience in building such vessels and pressure from sanctions. In December 2024, the LNG carrier left SSK Zvezda LLC for sea trials, but it took another year to fully complete the trials, including gas tests.
Following the completion of trials, the vessel was handed over on December 22, 2025, to PJSC "Sovcomflot" to operate under a long-term time-charter contract with "Arctic LNG-2" — the sanctioned project of PJSC "Novatek" for the extraction and production of liquefied natural gas. The "Arctic LNG-2" winter logistics scheme involves delivering LNG from the plant in Ob Bay to the floating storage vessel IMO 9915090 in Ura Bay, Murmansk Oblast, from where the LNG is loaded onto Arc4 ice-class gas carriers and conventional vessels for delivery to consumers. The Beihai LNG terminal in China receives LNG from the sanctioned project.
Since January 2026, the tanker has been involved in transporting liquefied natural gas from the sanctioned russian "Arctic LNG-2" project in Ob Bay to the sanctioned floating gas storage vessel IMO 9915090 in Ura Bay, Murmansk Oblast.
On January 28, 2026, the gas carrier IMO 9904546 carried out its first LNG loading at "Arctic LNG-2," and on February 3, 2026, it unloaded at the floating storage facility IMO 9915090.
Since August 2024, the owner of the tanker IMO 9904546 has been the sanctioned company PJSC "Novatek"— russia’s largest independent gas producer, which is engaged in the exploration, production, processing, and sale of natural gas and liquid hydrocarbons.
The operator of the tanker is the sanctioned company PJSC "Sovcomflot." PJSC "Sovcomflot" is russia’s largest state-owned shipping company, providing services and support for offshore hydrocarbon production and the transportation of russian crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied gas. The main charterers of PJSC Sovcomflot’s vessels are russia’s largest oil and gas companies and traders. Sovcomflot PJSC participates in servicing major oil and gas projects in russia: "Sakhalin-1", "Sakhalin-2", "Varanдей", "Prirazlomnoye", "Novy Port", "Yamal LNG" and others.
The technical manager of the tanker is the russian company "LNG Shipping" LLC (TIN 7841085679). "LNG Shipping" LLC is a subsidiary of the russian shipping group PJSC "Sovcomflot", registered in St. Petersburg in July 2019, and specializes in the ownership and operation of vessels for transporting russian LNG.
In June 2024, as part of efforts to restrict russia’s future revenues from liquefied natural gas, the United States imposed sanctions on four LNG tankers, including the vessel IMO 9904546, which was under construction at the time.
On June 12, 2026, Canada imposed sanctions on the vessel.
Since July 24, 2026, the EU has imposed sanctions on the vessel.
On October 1, 2026, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.
