Russia has taken control of two modern heavy-lift carriers previously involved in transporting equipment for the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project, gCaptain reported. The vessels, Bright and Glory, have reappeared on AIS near Murmansk under the Russian flag after ownership and management moved to Russia’s Eco Shipping LLC, according to Equasis records reviewed by gCaptain; their previous owner was Guangdong Nan Feng Shipping, and no sale terms have been made public.
The two carriers delivered modules for Arctic LNG 2’s third production train earlier this year and, after loading two power-generation modules in China in September, sailed north with their AIS transponders switched off before delivering to the project’s Utrenniy terminal. At least seven further modules for the third train remain in China, and the transfer follows Norwegian inspections of two other Chinese heavy-lift carriers off Andoya, one of which was detained over an invalid flag registration and missing certificates.