The key aspects of LNG transportation from the Russian Arctic to the Asia-Pacific region

The purpose of the work is to identify and consider key modern areas of the Russian Arctic infrastructural and technological development, the facilitation of which affects the possibilities of transporting Arctic LNG to the end user in the Asia-Pacific region in light of restrictions. The objectives are to characterise the Russian Arctic natural gas reserves and specify the main LNG projects; study the reasons complicating the production, sale and delivery of LNG from Russian Arctic projects; determine the impact of the current international situation on Russia’s ability to export Arctic LNG; define the role of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in its transportation to the Asia-Pacific countries. The potential for increased Russian Arctic gas production and the implementation of LNG projects is linked to the long-term prospect of building logistics for gas exports to the East and the development of the Russian ice-class fleet. As the NSR becomes more and more attractive with regard to the world economy and trade, the interest of the Asia-Pacific countries in using the route is growing. Concurrently, when producing and transporting LNG, it is necessary to take into account not only the extreme climatic Arctic conditions, but also an increase in the number of sanctions since 2022, insufficient transport infrastructure, the significant geographical length of the NSR, the difficulty of ensuring year round LNG transportation to the Asia-Pacific markets, resulting risks due to the reorientation of sales markets as well as capital and resource intensity of projects. Nevertheless, the sanctions policy has positive consequences for Russia, in particular, concerning import substitution of certain components and details through domestic production, the improvement of the icebreaker fleet characteristics, infrastructure development and the establishment of more effective cooperation with non-regional states. Despite the sanctions pressure combined with technological and logistical constraints, the importance of the NSR as a corridor for the transportation of national and international goods is likely to increase. It is concluded that the expansion of cooperation with Asian countries based on the existing partnership in the framework of LNG transportation along the NSR seems promising. At the same time, it is necessary to consider the difficulties associated with the organisation of year-round navigation in the eastern part of the NSR, the high logistical costs of icebreaker support and the impact of secondary sanctions. The NSR as an eastbound LNG transportation route is certain to advance owing to the construction of vessels of various classes, domestic shipbuilding components production, port expansion, the creation of river hubs on northern rivers and the introduction of additional government support measures.

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