First delivery of the vessel 'Valera' to China
The sanctioned Russian vessel 'Valera' made its first delivery of liquefied natural gas to China, indicating a strengthening of energy cooperation between Moscow and Beijing amid geopolitical pressure. The vessel 'Valera' loaded LNG at the 'Portovaya' plant (Gazprom PJSC) in October 2025 and arrived at the Beihai import terminal in southern China.
The vessel 'Valera' and the 'Portovaya' plant are included in the sanctions list of the Biden administration. This delivery has become part of the growing volume of Russian LNG to China, which increased by approximately 14% from September to November 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. 'Valera' became the 19th LNG tanker to arrive in China from sanctioned Russian facilities since August 2025, when the 'Arctic LNG 2' facility began supplying fuel to Beihai port.
State of the Russian shadow fleet
As of early 2025, Russia's shadow fleet consisted of approximately 940 vessels, which is 45% more than the previous year. About 17% of the world's oil tankers are involved in transporting Russian oil. The average age of vessels in the shadow fleet is about 20 years, while the average for the global commercial fleet is 13 years.
Thus, the first delivery of the vessel 'Valera' to China underscores the relevance and dynamism of energy ties between Russia and China amid current economic and political challenges.
This event may indicate that, despite sanctions, Russia continues to adapt its energy supplies, paying a high price with an outdated fleet. The increase in LNG exports to China may be part of Moscow's strategy aimed at strengthening economic ties with Beijing, which in turn could have long-term implications for global energy markets and political relations in the region.