Chinese gas tanker arrives at Gazprom’s sanctioned terminal in the Baltic Sea for the first time

China is increasing its imports of Russian liquefied natural gas to circumvent Western sanctions by using a “shadow fleet.”

The Kunpeng, a gas tanker linked to a Chinese company, has docked for the first time at Russia’s Gazprom’s sanctioned LNG terminal, Bloomberg reported.

The vessel entered the Portovaya terminal, owned by gas producer Gazprom and located in the Baltic Sea.

Earlier this year, the Kunpeng changed owners and operators. The vessel was handed over to little-known companies registered in China and the Marshall Islands. The Portovaya terminal itself is relatively small and was hit by U.S. sanctions in January.

China is increasing its imports of LNG from Russia to circumvent Western sanctions by using a “shadow fleet” vessel. Earlier this month, China received its first shipment of LNG from the Portovaya terminal.