Exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia’s Yamal LNG plant have slowed slightly in July so far compared with the same period a year due to a longer wait for vessels to offload the fuel in Europe, ship-tracking data from LSEG showed on Thursday.

The exports have slowed down amid maintenance at the French terminal of Montoir-de-Bretagne, which receives cargoes from Yamal LNG.

According to LSEG, eight tankers departed from the port of Sabetta in the Arctic Yamal peninsular in July 1-12, compared with nine tankers in the same periods of June and July 2023.

LNG exports from the plant for the period were 590,000 metric tons, down from 650,000 tons in the same period last year and 570,000 tons in June 1-12, LSEG data showed.

Last month, European Union countries agreed on a new package of sanctions against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, including a ban of re-exports of Russian LNG through EU waters.

The sanctions take effect from March 2025.

Source: Reuters reporting by Oksana Kobzeva in Moscow and Marwa Rashad in London and written by Vladimir Soldatkin and Louise Heavens