The Yamal LNG export plant in Russia has shipped its first cargo to China in five months as the EU launches in a few weeks a stepwise plan of banning imports of Russian natural gas.
Yamal LNG, operated by Russia’s top LNG producer and exporter Novatek, had the Geneva carrier loaded in recent days and en route to China with an estimated time of arrival May 15, according to LSEG data cited by Reuters.
Yamal LNG shipments would be allowed into the EU for a few more months as the export facility is not under sanctions, unlike Arctic LNG 2, which is confined to selling into China in defiance of U.S., EU, and UK sanctions.
The cargo on the Geneva carrier would be the first shipment of Yamal LNG to China since November 2025. So far this year, Yamal LNG shipments have all gone out to Europe, according to LSEG data quoted by Reuters.
Russia raised its LNG exports in the first quarter of 2026 from a year earlier, as shipments to Europe rose ahead of the April 25 start date for the EU ban on short-term spot LNG supply from Russia.
The EU is banning, effective April 25, imports of LNG from Russia under spot contracts as part of its wider stepwise ban on all Russian gas imports by the end of 2027. A full ban will take effect for LNG imports from the beginning of 2027 and for pipeline gas imports from the autumn of 2027.
Top Russian officials said last month that Moscow would redirect LNG exports away from the EU without waiting for the full ban to take effect.
“A decision was made that part of the LNG currently supplied to Europe will be redirected to other markets where constructive, pragmatic relations are being built with our country, where there is demand and [where there is] the opportunity to conclude long-term contracts,” Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said in early March, as quoted by the Interfax news agency.
Yet, analysts have told Reuters that logistics challenges, shipping costs, and the structure of long-term contracts would restrict Russia’s ability to swiftly pivot to markets outside the EU.
By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
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