The European Union has decided not to include a ban on the transport of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) by tankers owned by European operators in the 21st package of sanctions against Russia, following protracted disputes between the bloc’s member states.
According to the European bureau of Report, this was stated by a senior European Commission official, commenting on the adoption of the package.
According to the official, discussions on restrictions on the transport of Russian LNG to third countries were one of the most difficult aspects of the negotiations. Previously, a number of states, foremost among them Greece, had opposed the ban, fearing that it would cause greater damage to European shipping companies than to Russian exports.
“We concluded that, if such a ban were introduced, vessels owned by European operators could very quickly come under the control of Chinese companies through existing financial and leasing arrangements. As a result, we would have a ban without any significant impact on Russian gas flows,” said the EC spokesperson.
Instead of an immediate ban, the European Union has introduced a mechanism to monitor transactions involving LNG tankers. Within three months of the sanctions package coming into force, European operators will be required to notify the authorities of any transactions involving the sale or transfer of such vessels.
