Russia's First Domestic Ice-Class Tanker Nears Sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 Plant

• Russia's first domestically built ice-class tanker, Alexey Kosygin, is approaching the US-sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 plant.
• The tanker completed its maiden journey across the Northern Sea Route and is preparing to dock, expanding the plant's winter transport fleet.
• Alexey Kosygin is rated Arc-7, the highest ice-class ranking, enabling it to service the plant during winter conditions.
• Arctic LNG 2 aims to triple Russia's annual LNG output and capture a 20% global market share, but Western sanctions have caused delays.
• The arrival of Alexey Kosygin could help Arctic LNG 2 resume active loadings, which were halted last winter due to a shortage of ice-class vessels.

Why It Matters: Russia's new ice-class tanker boosts Arctic LNG 2's winter operations despite sanctions and past delays.