Danish shipyard Fayard keeps dry‑docking ice‑class LNG tankers that feed Russia’s Yamal plant, even as Copenhagen denounces the work and the EU prepares a 2027 ban on maritime services for Russia‑linked vessels. The yard is the sole EU facility still handling the specialised Arc7 fleet, which sails from Siberia to north‑west European ports.

Six of the fifteen Arc7 vessels are scheduled for repairs at Fayard this summer, a window before the EU ban 2027 kicks in. Last year the yard serviced five Yamal‑bound tankers, while Dutch shipbuilder Damen withdrew from its French yard citing Dutch foreign‑policy pressure. The Arc7 class requires European expertise and proximity to trade routes, making Fayard’s capability rare.

EU gas imports have risen 17 % to 5 million tonnes in Q1 2026 as Yamal fills the gap left by reduced Russian pipeline flow, keeping European energy costs high. Critics argue Fayard’s services sustain Kremlin revenue, a point echoed by Ukrainian NGOs after the UK imposed its own maritime ban. As long as Fayard operates, a narrow loophole lets Russian LNG reach Europe and downstream traders, and maintain profit margins for shipowners.