The Russian plant Arctic LNG 2, which is under Western sanctions, will receive two new icebreakers of its own production in 2026. This will significantly enhance the export capabilities of liquefied natural gas from the Arctic region.
This is reported by Finway
Expansion of the Arc7 Fleet for Arctic LNG 2
According to Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov, last year the main vessel of the Arc7 class, developed by a foreign company, was delivered for Arctic LNG 2. The construction of two more icebreakers is planned to be completed in 2026. The first Russian gas carrier of this class, the “Alexey Kosygin,” was completed at the end of 2025 and has already begun export activities last month.
The delivery of additional tankers will allow Arctic LNG 2 to increase production capacity and boost export volumes, which is especially important during the Arctic winter when conventional vessels cannot navigate the icy waters. The Arc7 vessels are designed to operate along the Northern Sea Route without the need for separate icebreakers, which helps reduce transportation costs.
Challenges and Strategic Goals of Russian LNG
Before the commissioning of the “Alexey Kosygin,” the Arctic LNG 2 plant had only one Arc7 class vessel, the “Christophe de Margerie.” The project is implemented by Novatek, and its main goal is to increase liquefied natural gas production in Russia to 100 million tons per year. However, due to sanctions from the West, Moscow has been forced to postpone the timeline for achieving this ambitious goal.
Thanks to the Arctic LNG 2 project led by Novatek, Russia aimed to triple LNG production to 100 million tons per year. However, Western sanctions have forced Moscow to delay the timeline for achieving this goal.