Russia’s Yamal LNG Sends First Cargo To China In 5 Months As EU Ban Nears

Russia’s Yamal LNG project has sent its first liquefied natural gas cargo to China since November, according to ship-tracking data from LSEG, as export flows begin to shift ahead of Europe’s planned ban on Russian gas imports.

The LNG carrier Geneva is currently sailing to China and is expected to arrive on May 15. The vessel received its cargo from the Arc7 ice-class tanker Vladimir Rusanov near Russia’s Arctic port of Murmansk.

This is the first shipment from Yamal LNG to China in nearly five months. The previous cargo was sent at the end of November and reached China only by late January after taking a longer route around Africa.

Yamal LNG, controlled by Russia’s largest LNG producer Novatek, has mainly supplied Europe in recent years. In fact, during the first quarter of 2026, all shipments from the project went to European buyers, according to LSEG data cited by Reuters.

The latest cargo comes just weeks before the European Union starts enforcing a phased ban on Russian LNG. From April 25, the EU will stop imports under short-term spot contracts.

A full ban on LNG imports is planned from January 2027, while pipeline gas imports are expected to end later in 2027.

For now, Yamal LNG cargoes can still enter the European market because the project is not directly under sanctions. However, Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 project is already facing restrictions and has mostly been supplying China.

Russian officials have said the country will gradually redirect LNG exports away from Europe.

Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said in March that some volumes currently going to Europe would be sent to other markets where Russia can build long-term deals.

President Vladimir Putin also said Russia could divert gas exports in response to the EU’s decisions.

However, analysts say this shift will not be easy. Long-term contracts with European buyers, high shipping costs, and logistical issues could slow down the process. There are also limits due to seasonal Arctic shipping routes and a shortage of specialised LNG carriers.

The Yamal LNG plant, located on the Arctic Yamal Peninsula, has an annual capacity of about 20 million tonnes and remains one of Russia’s key LNG export projects.

Experts expect China to become a bigger buyer of Yamal LNG in the coming months and years, especially as the European market gradually closes under the EU’s planned import ban.

Reference: Reuters, Oil Price