EU to Sanction 27 Energy-Related Vessels Including LNG Tankers in Latest Measures Against Russia.
The European Union will impose sanctions on 27 vessels, including oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers, as part of its latest measures against Russia. This decision is a part of the 14th package of sanctions adopted by EU countries earlier on Monday, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The sanctions list, reviewed by Reuters, features 19 energy-related vessels, among them two Russian floating regasification units, the Saam and Koryak. These units, owned by Russia’s leading LNG exporter Novatek, were intended for trans-shipping LNG from its new Arctic LNG 2 project. Given Russia’s shortage of ice-class LNG ships, it relies on trans-shipments to maintain operations in the Baltic Sea area.
Additionally, the list includes ships that have been transporting defense equipment for Russia and the Enisey cargo ship, which the EU alleges has been moving stolen Ukrainian grains.
The EU’s sanctions package also introduces a ban on trans-shipments of Russian LNG off EU ports, which will take effect after a nine-month transition period. Full details of the sanctions will be published later in the EU’s Official Journal.
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Legal experts, like Nicoleta Tuominen from the law firm Dentons, suggest that while the immediate impact on the sanctioned vessels may be limited, the long-term effects could be significant. “If you’re looking for spare parts, engineers, insurance, financing, in some cases local pilots—anything that involves some contact with the EU in the broadest sense, including countries mirroring EU sanctions—this all will become more difficult,” Tuominen told Reuters. “For instance, navigation, safety, and security equipment. If an EU company developed such a system, others could fix it, but not to the same standard.”
Although the EU lacks the extra-territorial reach of US sanctions and their leverage over certain flag states, placing these tankers on the sanctions list could eventually have a meaningful impact. Ownership in the shipping sector is often complex and elusive, but these measures might bring about changes over time.
