New company takes on four Arc4 LNG carriers as Seoul looks to expand Busan’s role in Arctic shipping. A newly established South Korean ship manager is emerging as a potential new player in Arctic LNG shipping, taking control of four ice-class LNG carriers while planning a rapid expansion into the specialized fleet needed to transport gas along Russia’s Northern Sea Route.

The number of shadow-fleet vessels carrying Russian oil and LNG through the Northern Sea Route has surged this summer, according to a new analysis by the Bellona Environmental Transparency Center, raising concerns about the ability to respond to accidents in one of the world's most remote shipping environments.

The United Kingdom has sanctioned five liquefied natural gas carriers as part of a new package of measures targeting Russia's efforts to expand a maritime "shadow fleet" for LNG exports, including three Russian-built Arc7 ice-class vessels intended to support the Arctic LNG 2 project.