Marine vessels

The vessel, together with two other designated vessels – Na Feng Zhi Xing (IMO 9934498) and Hunter Star (IMO 9830769) – was involved in the October 2024 delivery from China to the russian port of Utrenny of large-scale power generation modules for the designated Arctic LNG 2 project. The power plant is a key component for the commissioning of the second train of the Arctic LNG 2 liquefied natural gas (LNG) project. It is configured to include 24 Harbin Guanghan CGT30 turbines with a total generation capacity of approximately 650 MW. Arctic LNG 2 is the second large-scale LNG project operated by the designated russian company PJSC Novatek (ПАО "Новатэк") – the project’s majority shareholder – and is located on the Gydan Peninsula. The project was sanctioned by the United States in November 2023 and by the United Kingdom in February 2024. The vessel (IMO 1021570) departed from the Chinese port of Zhangjiagang on 24 September and arrived at the port of Utrenny on 30 October 2024. During the delivery, the Chinese vessels travelled over 1,500 nautical miles through partially ice-covered seas without having an ice-class designation. Nonetheless, the russian Main Directorate of the Northern Sea Route issued a permit to Ocean 28 – a non-ice-class vessel – to navigate the waters of the Northern Sea Route along the route "Eastern boundary of the Northern Sea Route – Sabetta port – Western boundary of the Northern Sea Route", valid from 1 October to 15 November 2024. The permit stated that the vessel required icebreaker escort "in ice-free waters and light ice conditions". According to the Northern Sea Route Administration, only one nuclear-powered icebreaker was operating in the eastern sector of the route throughout October. The vessel (IMO 1021570) is one of numerous non-ice-class ships that were authorized by russia to operate in the remote Arctic waters during autumn 2024. The presence of such vessels in ice-covered Arctic seas without proper classification demonstrates that russia prioritizes the continuity of its oil and gas exports over maritime safety in the Arctic. The delivery of the power station to the designated Arctic LNG 2 project ahead of winter further indicates the intent of the designated russian company PJSC Novatek (ПАО "Новатэк") to launch an LNG production train with a capacity of 6.6 million tons per year at the site in 2025. On 10 January 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel. On 20 May 2025, the European Union imposed sanctions on the vessel for facilitating or supporting actions or policies aimed at the exploitation, development, or expansion of the russian energy sector, including its energy infrastructure; these sanctions took effect on 21 May 2025. On 3 June 2025, the sanctions imposed by Switzerland on the vessel entered into force.

The Arctic shuttle tanker, the second vessel in a series of three reinforced ice-class tankers designed to transport oil produced in the Arctic region of russia at the Varandey field, belongs to the sanctioned PJSC Sovcomflot, the largest state-owned shipping company in russia that services and supports offshore hydrocarbon production and transports russian oil, oil products and liquefied natural gas. The main charterers of Sovcomflot's vessels are russia's largest oil and gas companies and traders. PJSC Sovcomflot is involved in servicing major oil and gas projects in russia, including Varandey and Prirazlomnoye. The main operation of the tanker is the transportation of crude oil from the Varandey ice-resistant offshore shipping terminal in the Barents Sea to Murmansk. The Varandey oil loading terminal (affiliated with the sanctioned Lukoil) provides year-round transshipment of oil produced in the Timan-Pechora oil and gas province, located above the Arctic Circle in the village of Varandey on the shores of the Barents Sea. To transport oil, the tanker is equipped with ten tanks, each with a capacity of about 8,000 cubic meters. Typically, the tanker transports about 70 thousand tons of crude oil per voyage. The vessel transports oil from the Varandey oil export terminal, the Prirazlomnoye Arctic offshore oil field in the Pechora Sea (a stationary platform, which is the world's first ice-resistant Arctic-class oil platform), in particular, to Murmansk, to the FSO KOLA floating storage tanker (IMO 9217979, under USA sanctions). On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The A1 ice-class supply tanker is a large icebreaker operating in the Arctic Ocean, owned by the sanctioned company PJSC Sovcomflot, the largest state-owned shipping company in russia that services and supports offshore hydrocarbon production and transportation of russian crude oil, petroleum products and liquefied natural gas. The services provided by PJSC Sovcomflot are a significant source of income for the russian federation - more than 70% of its revenues come from the sale of energy. The main charterers of Sovcomflot's vessels are russia's largest oil and gas companies and traders. PJSC Sovcomflot is involved in servicing major oil and gas projects in russia, including Varandey and Prirazlomnoye. The tanker is a dual-action vessel, which can navigate both forward and backward in the ice, and is the third vessel in a series of shuttle tankers of enhanced ice class designed for marine transportation of oil within the Varandey Arctic energy project. The vessel transports crude oil from the Varandey oil export terminal, the Arctic Gate offshore oil terminal on the Yamal Peninsula, the Prirazlomnoye offshore oil field in the Pechora Sea (a stationary platform, which is the world's first ice-resistant Arctic-class oil platform), in particular, to Murmansk, to the FSO KOLA floating storage tanker (IMO 9217979, under USA sanctions). The Varandey Oil Export Terminal (affiliated with the sanctioned Lukoil) provides year-round transshipment of oil produced in the Timan-Pechora oil and gas province, located above the Arctic Circle in the village of Varandey on the Barents Sea. The Arctic Gateway terminal is a specialized port on the coast of the Gulf of Ob designed to export liquid hydrocarbons from the giant Novoportovskoye oil and gas condensate field, which is being developed by the sanctioned Gazprom Neft. The Prirazlomnoye Arctic offshore oil field is being developed by Gazprom Neft Shelf LLC (a 100% subsidiary of Gazprom Neft), which is the offshore project management center of Gazprom Neft, the only oil company producing oil on the russian Arctic shelf. On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The vessel was built in 2013 by order of the sanctioned russian state-owned company Sovcomflot, russia's largest shipping company in the field of marine transportation of hydrocarbons, as well as maintenance, support for offshore exploration and oil and gas production. The company's fleet (owned and chartered) serves large-scale energy projects in russia, including Yamal LNG, Sakhalin-1, Sakhalin-2, Prirazlomnoye, Novy Port, Varandey, etc. The vessel participates in ensuring the uninterrupted operation of oil production platforms at the Kirinskoye gas condensate field located within the Kirinsky block of the Sakhalin-3 project on the shelf of Sakhalin Island, the Chayvonskoye oil field, and the Arkutun-Dagi oil and gas field, which are part of the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project. On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The tanker is capable of segregated transportation of four types of petroleum products to all locations in the Far East region of the russian federation and for bunkering of vessels. The tanker, in particular, transports diesel fuel and gasoline produced by RN-Komsomolsk Oil Refinery LLC (TIN 2703032881, under sanctions of Ukraine), affiliated with the sanctioned PJSC Oil Company Rosneft (TIN 7706107510), from the port of Nakhodka to the port of Korsakov. The tanker is owned and operated by the sanctioned Rosnefteflot JSC, a subsidiary of PJSC Oil Company Rosneft. On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the tanker as a property in which Rosnefteflot JSC has an interest.

The tug is owned and operated by the russian sanctioned company RPK Nord LLC (Murmansk). RPK Nord LLC is the owner and operator of the VLCC-class floating storage facility based on the UMBA floating oil storage facility (IMO 9196620, under USA sanctions) with a deadweight of 300,259 metric tons. The UMBA FSO in the Kola Bay is considered a key element of the Arctic russian oil export chain and was created to transship oil from Arctic fields by sanctioned PJSC Gazprom Neft. On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the tug as a property in which RPK Nord LLC has an interest.

The vessel is part of the towing fleet of the Sakhalin branch of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Rosmorport (Федеральное государственное унитарное предприятие "Росморпорт"). Rosmorport provides services in the seaports of Korsakov, Nevelsk, Primorskoe, Kholmsk, and Shakhtersk, including navigation, pilotage, towing, berthing, surveying, agency services, lifting and placing vessels at the ship-lifting complex, geodetic and hydrographic services, as well as the installation and maintenance of navigation equipment. On 10 January 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel.

Multifunctional icebreaking vessel for offshore production platforms. The vessel was built by order of the sanctioned Sovcomflot to operate on the continental shelf of Sakhalin Island in the Sea of Okhotsk as part of the Sakhalin-2 project, one of the world's largest projects for the integrated development of oil and gas fields in the russian Far East in subarctic conditions. The project includes the development of two fields located in the Sea of Okhotsk: Piltun-Astokhskoye and Lunskoye. The produced oil and gas are transported via the Trans-Sakhalin pipeline system through the integrated onshore processing complex to the Primorskoye production complex, which includes a liquefied natural gas plant and an oil shipment terminal. The project is testing technologies for offshore hydrocarbon production and gas liquefaction. The vessel's design and equipment allow it to provide year-round supplies and stocks to oil platform personnel, carry out emergency rescue duty and respond quickly to emergencies. On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The Aker ARC 121 was built by order of the sanctioned PJSC Sovcomflot and is designed to service drilling platforms of the Salalin-2 oil and gas development project, one of the world's largest projects for the integrated development of oil and gas fields in the far east of russia in subarctic conditions. The project includes the development of two fields located in the Sea of Okhotsk: Piltun-Astokhskoye and Lunskoye. The produced oil and gas are transported via the Trans-Sakhalin pipeline system through the integrated onshore processing complex to the Primorskoye production complex, which includes a liquefied natural gas plant and an oil shipment terminal. The project is testing technologies for offshore hydrocarbon production and gas liquefaction. On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The Aker ARC 121 icebreaking platform supply vessel was built by order of the sanctioned PJSC Sovcomflot and is intended to service three production platforms of the Sakhalin-2 oil and gas development project, one of the world's largest projects for the integrated development of oil and gas fields in the far east of russia in subarctic conditions. On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The LNG carrier was launched in 2014, is 300 m long, 46 m wide, and has a gross tonnage of over 113,000 tons. It is involved in the operation of the Portovaya complex of sanctioned PJSC Gazprom, which has a design production capacity of 1.5 million tons of LNG per year. The vessel is affiliated through related companies, including Gas Carriers SCF MGMT FZCO, Sun Ship Management, SCF Management Services Cyprus, with the sanctioned PJSC Sovcomflot, the largest state-owned shipping company in russia that services and supports offshore hydrocarbon production, transportation of russian crude oil, oil products, and liquefied natural gas. The main charterers of PJSC Sovcomflot vessels are the largest oil and gas companies and traders in russia. Sovcomflot is involved in servicing major oil and gas projects in russia: Sakhalin-1, Sakhalin-2, Varandey, Prirazlomnoye, Novy Port, Yamal LNG and others. On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the ship. Since July 20, 2025, the EU has imposed sanctions on the tanker for operating in a way as to contribute or support actions or policies for the exploitation, development or expansion of the energy sector in russia, including energy infrastructure. On August 12, 2025, Switzerland imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The vessel is a key element in russia's Arctic crude oil export scheme. In late December 2017, the vessel was permanently installed at Cape Filinsky, a few kilometers from Murmansk, becoming the largest roadside transshipment facility in the Kola Bay. It receives oil from the Varandey terminal located in the very north of the Nenets Autonomous District. Ice-class shuttle tankers deliver oil to it, from where conventional tankers take it further for export. The storage tanker is affiliated with a russian company, LK Volga LLC, which is the operator of the storage tanker. On January 10, 2025, the USA imposed sanctions on LK Volga LLC for operating in the energy sector of the russian federation's economy. On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the tanker as property in which LK Volga LLC has an interest.