Beijing's LNG Lifeline: Sanctioned Russian Gas Flows in Under the Radar
China has been quietly taking delivery of sanctioned Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments, with at least 24 cargoes having arrived at its Beihai terminal since late August last year. The move marks a significant escalation of cooperation between China and Russia as Moscow seeks to bolster LNG exports to secure funding for its war in Ukraine.
The shipment of LNG from Russia's Portovaya plant on December 8 was particularly noteworthy, as it marked the first delivery since the plant was placed under US sanctions in January. The cargo, loaded onto a tanker at the Arctic LNG 2 terminal in 2024, had been stuck due to the sanctions, which prevented it from finding buyers.
However, with tensions easing and diplomatic relations warming up, Russia has found ways to circumvent these restrictions. By utilizing its so-called "dark fleet" of LNG tankers, Moscow has been able to discreetly transport gas around the world. These shipments were initially stuck on tankers or floating storage units but began moving again in August, coinciding with a high-stakes meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Since then, at least 23 shipments from the Arctic LNG 2 plant have been delivered to Beihai, allowing China to secure access to cheap LNG that is discounted by 30-40 percent. This has not only provided Beijing with a reliable energy source but also reinforced cooperation between Russia and China on the political level.
For Moscow, these exports represent an important diplomatic achievement, allowing it to demonstrate its ability to operate despite severe sanctions imposed by Western countries. As Kjell Eikland, managing director at Eikand Energy, noted: "The main point is political... For Russia, it's mainly about proving that they can do business even with severe sanctions in place."
China has been quietly taking delivery of sanctioned Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments, with at least 24 cargoes having arrived at its Beihai terminal since late August last year. The move marks a significant escalation of cooperation between China and Russia as Moscow seeks to bolster LNG exports to secure funding for its war in Ukraine.
The shipment of LNG from Russia's Portovaya plant on December 8 was particularly noteworthy, as it marked the first delivery since the plant was placed under US sanctions in January. The cargo, loaded onto a tanker at the Arctic LNG 2 terminal in 2024, had been stuck due to the sanctions, which prevented it from finding buyers.
However, with tensions easing and diplomatic relations warming up, Russia has found ways to circumvent these restrictions. By utilizing its so-called "dark fleet" of LNG tankers, Moscow has been able to discreetly transport gas around the world. These shipments were initially stuck on tankers or floating storage units but began moving again in August, coinciding with a high-stakes meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Since then, at least 23 shipments from the Arctic LNG 2 plant have been delivered to Beihai, allowing China to secure access to cheap LNG that is discounted by 30-40 percent. This has not only provided Beijing with a reliable energy source but also reinforced cooperation between Russia and China on the political level.
For Moscow, these exports represent an important diplomatic achievement, allowing it to demonstrate its ability to operate despite severe sanctions imposed by Western countries. As Kjell Eikland, managing director at Eikand Energy, noted: "The main point is political... For Russia, it's mainly about proving that they can do business even with severe sanctions in place."
. It's like a big game of geopolitical chess - who can work around what sanctions and still get the gas they need. Russia's just trying to prove a point, that they're not as weak as everyone makes them out to be 
. Meanwhile China is just happy to score some cheap energy deals 
. The US is basically saying "oh okay, you're doing business with Russia, we won't stop you" 
. It's all about the benjamins, right?
I gotta say, this is like, crazy cool 
. China and Russia are like, totally making moves behind the scenes 
. Who would've thought that sanctioned Russian gas would be flowing into China? It's like a whole new level of global politics and diplomacy 
.
. And let's be real, China needs the cheap energy source 
. It's not just about the money; it's also about showing off their diplomatic skills 
. And China's all like "Uh, okay, sure thing, Russia! We'll take the cheap gas" 
. It's a win-win, really 
. Are we gonna see more countries jumping ship on sanctions and making deals with Russia? Only time will tell 
.
. It's like they thought Russia would just stop exporting, but Moscow found a way to keep going 
.
On the other hand, it does show that Russia and China are becoming closer and all that. Maybe we'll see more cooperation between them on energy stuff in the future. Wouldn't that be wild? 
And what about the environmental impact of bringing in more LNG? Don't we need to be thinking about that? 
and now they've been getting these shipments under the radar since august last year? 
i mean, it's not like they're doing some secret heist or something... it's just china buying cheap energy from russia because usa sanctions aren't working 
and Russia gets to say "hey look at us, we can still trade with china despite all these sanctions" 