As of March 26, EU ports will no longer provide transshipment services for Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), a practice that had been allowed under certain exceptions for contracts signed before sanctions were imposed.
EU ports are now prohibited from providing transshipment services for LNG produced or exported from Russia. These restrictions were part of the sanctions introduced in June 2024, though companies were given a grace period for contracts signed before June 25, 2024, which has now expired.
Additionally, services related to technical support, brokerage services, financing, or financial assistance for LNG transshipment are also banned.
However, the transshipment of LNG is still allowed if the gas is being transported to an EU member state for its own energy needs.
As of now, approximately 13% of the gas purchased by EU countries still comes from Russia, and the European Commission is preparing legislation to encourage member states to reduce this dependency.
One of the most notable transshipment contracts involved Russian “Yamal LNG” and the Belgian company Fluxys. Specifically, the Russian company used this agreement for the transshipment of LNG from vessels adapted for polar regions to other vessels for further transportation to global markets.
