- Perle and CCH Gas Conduct Dark LNG Transfer Off Malaysia’s Coast.
- Sanctioned Russian LNG Finds New Route via Chinese Carrier.
- Analysts Flag First-Ever Covert LNG Operation in Southeast Asia.
Russia has just completed its first-ever ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) using vessels from its “shadow fleet,” teaming up with a Chinese gas carrier. Satellite images and some AIS data suggest that this operation took place off the eastern coast of Malaysia on October 18, 2025, involving the 170,471-cbm Perle and the 145,000-cbm CCH Gas. The Perle was carrying cargo from Gazprom’s Portovaya LNG plant in the Baltic Sea, which faced U.S. sanctions back in January 2025. Since then, Gazprom has had a tough time finding foreign buyers for its LNG, reports gCaptain.
Expanding Sanctions Evasion Strategy
This transfer represents a significant move in Moscow’s ongoing strategy to shift energy exports away from Western scrutiny and sanctions. The two vessels were anchored about 50 nautical miles off Malaysia’s coast, as shown in a Sentinel 2 satellite image that depicts a typical STS setup. This gas transfer is reminiscent of the crude oil “dark fleet” tactics, where high-seas transfers are conducted with AIS transponders turned off to hide the origins of the cargo and protect buyers from potential sanctions.
Analysts Confirm Dark Operation
“Yes, this was the first time we saw a dark STS transfer of Russian LNG in this part of the world. Oh, and CCH GAS did a lousy job at spoofing,” said Samir Madani, co-founder of TankerTrackers, an online service monitoring global oil shipments.
The Chinese Vessel’s Mysterious Ownership
CCH Gas, which was built back in 2006, is one of several older LNG steamships that Western operators sold to Chinese buyers in 2024 and 2025. Formerly known as Condor LNG, this vessel was sold in early 2025 by TMS Cardiff, marking the company’s final steamship sale. Now, it’s registered under CCH-1 Shipping Co Ltd in Hong Kong, with management taken care of by Primepath Shipping Ltd in Shanghai, as noted in the Equasis shipping database.
Russia’s Expanding LNG Network in Asia
The offshore LNG transfer is a significant boost for Russia’s alternative export routes, especially with the tightening sanctions. Just two months ago, Russia kicked off LNG exports from Novatek’s Arctic LNG 2 project to Beihai Terminal in southern China, and they’ve already completed ten deliveries. Even though the UK imposed sanctions on the Beihai Terminal last week, the effect is expected to be minimal since China had already redirected other shipments away from that facility.
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Source: gCaptain
