Speculation is mounting that two US-sanctioned LNG carriers, which loaded this month at Novatek’s newly started up Arctic LNG 2 project, may move to discharge their cargoes into one of Russia’s pair of giant but-as-yet used floating storage units.

Data provider Eikland Energy said that on Wednesday four tugs started moving into the Ura-Guba Bay towards the 361,600-cbm Saam FSU (built 2023) to the north of Murmansk.