LNG Carrier Ship Zigzags Close to Underwater Cables in the North Sea

Since December 26, the 236-meter-long LNG carrier Mulan has been sailing in an unusual zigzag pattern in a section of the North Sea, according to The Barents Observer. This area, part of Norway’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), is home to several underwater cables connecting Norway to northern Denmark.

The 42,000 DWT vessel is believed to be part of the so-called shadow fleet, which supports Russia's sanctioned oil and gas operations. This shadow fleet has drawn heightened scrutiny after another ship suspected of sabotage recently damaged underwater power cables between Finland and Estonia.

On December 20, the LNG carrier Mulan entered Ura Bay on Russia’s Kola Peninsula before charting a course into Norwegian waters. Since December 26, it has been circling in Norwegian waters in a peculiar pattern.

"Waiting for better weather"

Arve Dimmen, Director of Navigation Technology and Maritime Services at the Norwegian Coastal Administration, confirmed that officials contacted the Mulan two days after its unusual movements were first observed.

“The response was that they were waiting for better weather conditions,” Dimmen told Aftenposten. 

Despite this explanation, the ship continued its zigzagging for over a week before altering course on January 4 closely monitored by the Coastal Administration.

“In general, we monitor all tanker traffic along the coast, especially vessels carrying hazardous or polluting cargo. Given the nature of this vessel, we are watching it more closely as part of Russia’s shadow fleet,” Dimmen added.

He also stated that the Coastal Administration is working closely with the Armed Forces and police to track the ship's movements.

The Mulan is a brand-new vessel, constructed at the Chinese Jiangnan Shipyard and launched on its maiden voyage in spring 2024. Like many vessels in the shadow fleet, it has a muddled ownership structure.

Initially owned by the Chinese shipping company Jovo, the ship was later acquired by the Russian-controlled Nur Global Shipping, based in Dubai. Ownership then passed to Plio Energy Cargo Shipping, a company registered in India.

Sanctioned Shadows

In September 2024, Plio Energy was placed on the U.S. sanctions list. According to the U.S. Treasury, the company has engaged in "deceptive shipping practices, including shutting off its automatic identification system (AIS) to load cargo from the U.S.-sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project via a ship-to-ship transfer […]."

U.S. and EU authorities have issued warnings that any vessel or company participating in Arctic LNG 2 operations could face sanctions.

Several vessels, including the Mulan, New Energy, and Pioneer, have already been sanctioned. All three ships have been identified operating in the Gulf of Ob, where they load LNG from the Utrenniy Terminal.

Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 was initially envisioned as a flagship energy project by the gas company Novatek. However, the ongoing war in Ukraine and the resulting sanctions have significantly disrupted the project, leaving it in a state of near-paralysis.