The US has added two more Russian-linked LNG carriers and their operators to its sanctions list with the aim of stymying exports from the new Arctic LNG 2 project.
The 2007-built 149,700 cu m New Energy and the 79,833 cu m newbuilding Mulan have been added to the sanctions list.
The New Energy was spotted last week taking on sanctioned gas from another sanctioned vessel, Pioneer, in a ship-to-ship transfer just off Egypt in the Mediterranean.
“The US government will continue to answer attempts to operationalize the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project or otherwise expand Russia’s energy capabilities with a swift response ,” the US State Department said in a release.
The US imposed sanctions on seven other LNG carriers late last month.