A former Norwegian tanker now smuggles Russian LNG across the Arctic

By Atle Staalesen, The Independent Barents Observer September 9, 2024
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The Everest Energy used to be based in a Norwegian port and sail under Norwegian flag. Now it is operated by a recently establish India-registered enterprise and sails across Arctic waters as part of a shady Russian scheme established to bypass sanctions.
The 277 meter long Everest Energy is one of the carriers that take part in Russia’s covert efforts to ship liquified natural gas from the sanctions-ridden Arctic LNG 2 project.
Along with a fleet of at least seven vessels, the Everest Energy is involved in the shipments from the port of Utrenny in the Gulf of Ob.

This week, the 21 year old ship with ice-class +1A1 made port call in Utrenny, the terminal in the Gulf of Ob, and picked up LNG from the Arctic LNG 2 production facility. It subsequently set course for east Arctic waters and markets in Asia.

According to Bloomberg, the loading of the carrier took place in the weekend 7-8th September.

However, although clearly located in the area, the ship is not listed in the registries of the Northern Sea Route Administration, the Russian state body that regulates shipments on the route. All ships that sail in the remote Russian Arctic waters are normally listed in registry.

The same applies to the other “shadow vessels.” The Everest Energy and the other notorious tankers are hired by Novatek and its partners to circumnavigate sanctions.

They do not sail in the open. And their “invisibility” and shady operations are supported from the highest level in Moscow.

Following the U.S introduction of massive sanctions against the Russian energy sector, Moscow’s oil and gas companies have taken a series of extraordinary measures to continue to export hydrocarbons. They have established so-called ‘shadow fleets,’ whose owners and operations can be tracked only with great efforts.

The Russians have found useful partners in India, and like with a big number of other ‘shadow’ tankers, the Everest Energy appears to be owned and operated by an Indian company.

Ship owner is Ocean Speedstar Solutions Opc Private Limited, a company registered in Mumbai and established in January 2024.

As of early September 2024 there was still significant volumes of sea-ice in the eastern parts of the New Siberian Sea and western parts of the Chukchi Sea. Map: Russian Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute

The Everest Energy is built in 2003 and was originally owned and operated by the Norwegian company Bergesen. Back then its name was Berge Everett.

In 2009, it was acquired by BW Gas SLNG and renamed BW Suez Everett and later BW Everett. It is believed to have been sold to the Indian company in early 2024.

The Everest Energy will inevitably encounter sea-ice on its voyage along the Russian Arctic coast. Judging from ice maps from the Russian Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, parts of the North Siberian Sea and the Chukchi Sea still have significant volumes of sea-ice.

The carrier has a sea-ice classification of +1A1, which means that it is able to operate in light ice conditions and localized drift ice.

Located in Kirkenes, Norway, just a few kilometres from the borders to Russia and Finland, the Barents Observer is dedicated to cross-border journalism in Scandinavia, Russia and the wider Arctic.

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