Denmark Urged to Reconsider Servicing Russian Arctic LNG Tankers
On 3 September, Denmark‘s security service warned that Russian intelligence services were actively preparing sabotage against the country’s defence industry. This warning should focus attention on an uncomfortable contradiction at Fayard, the Danish shipyard helping maintain the specialized tankers that carry liquefied natural gas from Russia‘s Arctic.
Fayard holds a framework agreement covering service and maintenance of Denmark‘s Thetis-class military vessels. It also services Arc7 tankers carrying LNG from Russia‘s Yamal project. Denmark should explain how security is protected around these visits, while Fayard should reconsider the trade its work helps sustain.
High-Stakes Maintenance: The Connection to Russia’s Energy Industry
Malte Humpert’s March 2025 investigation, drawing on former senior officers, FSB protocols and vessel documentation, described pressure to remove Western officers and the creation of an informant network involving Russian officers aboard the Yamal LNG fleet. A state that treats independent voices as enemies does not change the fact that these tankers are essential to Russia‘s energy industry in the Arctic.
The Arc7 tankers are built to carry LNG through ice from Yamal, allowing exports throughout the year. Maintaining them helps preserve Russia‘s ability to sell gas beyond its borders, despite the isolation brought about by its war against Ukraine. On 27 August, Urgewald reported that the Boris Davydov was waiting to enter Fayard, following the Rudolf Samoylovich and Georgiy Brusilov earlier in the summer.
EU Sanctions: A Distinction Without a Difference
Fayard has defended its work by pointing out that these tankers are not Russian-owned, are not part of the shadow fleet and are not under EU sanctions. It says the work is legal. Those distinctions deserve accurate reporting. They also leave the central political question unanswered.
Why should a European shipyard continue maintaining vessels essential to Russian fossil-fuel exports while Russia attacks Ukraine and threatens European security? Foreign ownership does not change where these tankers load their gas or which project depends on them. The connection to Russia’s Arctic energy industry is clear.
Denmark Must Review Access Controls
Denmark should review how access to the yard is controlled, how crews are checked and how commercial visits are separated from any work involving military vessels. The framework agreement alone does not establish that both types of ship are present together. The authorities should explain the safeguards they apply.
The EU has already adopted sanctions against Russia‘s energy industry, making it crucial for Denmark to reconsider its role in supporting this trade.
Original Article: Denmark urged to stop servicing tankers carrying Russia’s Arctic LNG — Highnorthnews