The European Union has become the main destination for Russian LNG exports in the Arctic by becoming the backbone of Russia’s LNG business in the first six months of 2026, allocating billions of euros to quell LNG cravings with almost all shipments from Yamal arriving at EU ports, based on the results of a new analysis from German environmental research non-profit Urgewald.
According to a new analysis of Kepler data by Urgewald, the European Union paid an estimated 5.96 billion euros ($6.82 billion) for Yamal Arctic LNG Between January and June 2026, with 136 shipments delivered to European Union ports Of the 140 shipments shipped globally, representing over 97% of all deliveries.
Sebastian RottersThe Urgewald sanctions campaigner commented: “In the fifth year of the war against Ukraine, the European Union is still helping to maintain the Russian LNG sector in the Arctic. Yamal LNG relies on a small specialized fleet, European ports and European services to keep exports flowing. Europe continues to provide all three services.
“The numbers are stark. Almost all of Yamal’s cargo in the first six months of 2026 went to Europe. China has largely disappeared as a destination during this period, while the European Union has become more important in the project.” This does not happen in a vacuum.
“In the first half of 2026, Russia intensified its offensive in Europe’s worst war since World War II, targeting energy infrastructure and civilian sites in Ukraine on an unprecedented scale. At the same time, Europe continued to import more than 55,000 tons of liquefied natural gas from Yamal every day on average.”
That’s the main thing, Urgewald stressed European Union destinations for Russian LNG in the first six months of 2026 France With 51 shipments and 3.74 million tons, Belgium With 37 shipments and 2.70 million tons, Spain With 34 shipments and 2.50 million tons Holland With 12 cargoes and 881,970 tons Portugal With two cargoes and 147,170 tons.
Among the main European ports that received Russian LNG in the first half of 2026: Zeebrugge With 37 shipments Dunkirk With 26 charges Montoire With 25 charges Bilbao With 17 shipments Gateway/Rotterdam With 12 charges Mogardus With 10 shipments Barcelona With 4 shipments Sagunto With two shipments and Pockets With 2 charges.
Data for the first six months of 2026 underscore the continuing role of non-Russian shipping companies in keeping Yamal LNG moving, including Sea topIt is connected to the United Kingdom and Canada through its entities in Glasgow, London and Vancouver, with 56 cargoes, 4.10 million tons and approximately 40% of Yamal LNG’s total volumes.
There too Dinagasa company linked to Greece, has 49 cargoes and 3.58 million tons, which represents about 35% of the LNG volumes in the Russian project, and mall and CuscoConnecting to Japan and China, there were 35 shipments and 2.57 million tons, constituting about 25% of the total shipments.
These companies linked to the UK, Canada, Greece, Japan and China transported all recorded Yamal LNG cargoes in the first six months of 2026, based on the analysis, which confirms that this is not a purely Russian logistics chain, but remains dependent on international operators, European ports and services.
In addition, a further 18 cargoes, totaling 1.32 million tons, involved ship-to-ship transfers in Murmansk with their final destination in the European Union, all connected to MOL/COSCO vessels.
Given that China received only four shipments during the entire six-month period, this sharp increase in EU shipments is a highlight of the role Europe plays in keeping Yamal LNG operational. The European Union received 117 shipments and 8.57 million tons in the first six months of 2025, compared to 136 shipments and 9.97 million tons in the first half of 2026, an increase of 16% in volume.
Deliveries to Asia collapsed from 25 shipments and 1.80 million tons in the first six months of 2025 to just 4 shipments and 282,248 tons in the first half of 2026, a decline of 84%. These figures show that Europe is not only buying Russian LNG, but also absorbing the entire production of one of the country’s most strategically important LNG projects.
Orgwald claims that Yamal’s dependence on Europe is evident not only in import terminals, but also in shipyards, with Viard In Denmark, it remains the last shipyard in the European Union still serving the specialized Arc7 Ice-class tankers that keep Yamal LNG moving through Arctic waters.
The analysis has indicated that up to six Arc7-class ships may require maintenance this summer, ahead of the EU Maritime Union Block services On Russian LNG ships will take effect on January 1, 2027.
Every Arc7 tanker serviced in Denmark is interpreted as risking extending the life of the fleet carrying Russian LNG to Europe and helping maintain revenue for the Kremlin. Urgewald’s statement dated 2 July 2026 confirmed the arrival Rudolf Samoylovich In Viard on June 30.
“Fayard could significantly increase the complexity of logistics for its LNG business in Russia if the company stops maintaining Arc7 tankers. So far, Fayard has decided otherwise.” The German non-profit environmental research organization confirmed.
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