The Rusanov, a vessel from Russia's Yamal Peninsula, docks at Yangkou Port, Rudong, Nantong. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

On Aug 12, the Rusanov vessel from Russia's Yamal Peninsula docked at the Yangkou Port in Rudong county, Nantong, marking its second visit to the PetroChina Jiangsu LNG Terminal. This delivery was the 73rd shipment of LNG from Yamal received by the terminal, bringing the total volume of Arctic-sourced LNG handled by the terminal to over 4.76 million metric tons.

The Rusanov is a commercial ship with the best ice-breaking capabilities in the world, capable of navigating through Arctic ice up to 2.1 meters thick in temperatures as low as -52 degrees. The vessel's 73,000-ton load of liquefied natural gas can be converted into 100 million cubic meters of natural gas, enough to generate more than 500 million kilowatt-hours of electricity.

The Arctic shipping season primarily runs from July to October, when ice melts during the summer and autumn months, making it easier for icebreakers like the Rusanov to navigate. This period coincides with China's peak period for natural gas demand.

The Rusanov docks at Yangkou Port, Rudong, Nantong. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

The Yamal LNG project is the first large-scale energy cooperation initiative between China and Russia under the Belt and Road Initiative. The PetroChina Jiangsu LNG Terminal, a key node in Sino-Russian natural gas trade, received the first LNG shipment from this project in 2018.