Norway Detains Sanctioned Chinese Heavy-Lift Ship Linked To Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 Project

Norway has detained a Chinese-owned heavy-lift ship that previously transported equipment for Russia’s sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project after inspectors found that it did not have valid flag registration or the required certificates.

The vessel, Ya Qing Hai Yang, was inspected on October 13 after seeking shelter from bad weather in Andfjorden, off Norway’s Vesterålen Islands. It was detained the following day and will remain in custody until its registration and certification problems are resolved.

Norwegian authorities also inspected another Chinese cargo ship, Jian Yang Cheng He, and found five deficiencies. The vessel is not under sanctions and has no known links to Russian energy projects. It can leave after correcting the problems.

The detention comes as Western countries continue to monitor ships involved in transporting equipment and supplies for Russia’s sanctioned energy projects.

This story was originally published by Marine Insight. Read the full story at Marine Insight →