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Denmark Still Serves as the Last EU Repair Hub for Russia’s LNG Tankers
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A Danish shipyard continues to provide maintenance services to Russia’s specialized Arctic LNG tanker fleet despite criticism from Danish officials and upcoming European Union restrictions targeting vessels involved in Russia’s gas exports.
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According to Financial Times on June 1, Denmark-based Fayard remains the only shipyard in the EU capable of servicing Arc7-class icebreaking LNG carriers, which transport liquefied natural gas from Russia’s Yamal LNG project in Siberia to European ports.
The report states that six of the 15 Arc7 vessels are scheduled to undergo maintenance at Fayard during the summer of 2026. The activity comes ahead of new EU measures set to take effect in 2027, which will prohibit the provision of maritime services to LNG tankers operating with Russia.
According to Financial Times, Arc7 carriers rely heavily on European shipyards due to their specialized technical requirements and the strategic location of repair facilities along their operating routes between the Arctic and northwestern Europe.
Data analyzed by the German environmental organization Urgewald indicates that Fayard serviced five Yamal-linked tankers in 2025 and has handled a total of 15 Arc7 vessels since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen previously criticized the practice after reports emerged that Fayard was servicing vessels connected to the Yamal project.
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According to Financial Times, Frederiksen described the situation as “absolutely incomprehensible” and said the shipyard “simply has to stop.” However, maintenance work on such vessels is not currently prohibited under EU sanctions, limiting the Danish government’s ability to intervene.
The newspaper also reported that Dutch shipbuilding company Damen, which previously serviced Arc7 vessels at its shipyard in Brest, France, ended the practice in August 2025.
Damen said the decision was aligned with Dutch foreign policy, which does not encourage domestic companies to support Russian LNG exports. Since February 2022, Damen reportedly serviced eight Arc7 vessels, compared with 15 handled by Fayard.
According to Financial Times, Dutch prosecutors are also conducting a criminal investigation into Damen over suspected violations of EU sanctions against Russia.
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The EU has significantly reduced its reliance on Russian energy since 2022, but Russian LNG continues to enter European markets. Data from commodities analytics firm Kpler cited by Financial Times shows that LNG imports from the Yamal project to the EU increased by 17% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, reaching approximately 5 million tonnes. The increase was linked to energy supply disruptions associated with the crisis in the Persian Gulf.
The EU is expected to phase out imports of Russian gas beginning in 2027, while the United Kingdom announced its own restrictions last week, banning maritime services for vessels operating with Russia as part of broader efforts to reduce the Kremlin’s energy revenues.
Earlier, the European Commission unveiled plans to end all imports of Russian gas by 2027, seeking to further reduce the bloc’s dependence on Russian energy supplies following the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine.
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