A cross-party coalition of 101 parliamentarians and MEPs from 16 European countries has called on Denmark’s Fayard shipyard to stop servicing a fleet of specialised ice-class tankers that transport Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The action, coordinated by Danish Green MEP Villy Søvndal, who is Denmark’s former foreign minister, comes after the arrival of the Rudolf Samoylovich boat at Fayard on 30 June.
The vessel is the first of up to six Arc7 LNG carriers expected to require maintenance before the EU’s 20th sanctions package comes into force in January 2027 – when an embargo on Russian LNG enters into force.
In an open letter to Fayard’s CEO, Thomas Andersen, the parliamentarians urge the company to refuse any further repair or maintenance work on Arc7 tankers involved in Russian Arctic LNG exports and to publicly rule out accepting additional such vessels during 2026.
“This is not only a commercial matter. It is a question of Europe’s security, Denmark’s credibility and solidarity with Ukraine,” said the letter.
The list of signatories includes 51 MEPs and 50 members of national parliaments.
They say that maintenance undertaken before the EU embargo takes effect in early 2027 could enable the vessels to continue operating for years after sanctions are introduced.
“We … urge Fayard to refuse all further repair and maintenance work on Arc7 LNG tankers and other vessels serving Russian Arctic LNG exports, and to publicly confirm that no such further vessels will be accepted in 2026,” the letter also said.
The appeal follows research by the NGOs Urgewald, B4Ukraine and Razom We Stand, which identifies Fayard as the last shipyard in the EU still servicing the specialised Arc7 fleet, after Damen Shiprepair Brest stopped accepting the vessels in 2024.
According to Urgewald, each of the six Arc7 tankers expected to require maintenance this year has transported an average of 5.3m tonnes of Russian LNG since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, carrying cargoes worth an estimated €4bn per vessel.
“This is not routine ship repair. Every Arc7 tanker serviced in Denmark could help prolong Russian Arctic LNG exports for years and send millions more back to the Kremlin,” said Alexander Kirk, sanctions campaigner at Urgewald, a German environmental and human rights organisation.
For his part, Søvndal, the Danish MEP, said the Arc7 fleet represented a critical link in Russia's LNG export chain.
"If Europe truly wants to hurt Russia's LNG business with the embargo starting in 2027, the Arc7 fleet is the crucial link in the logistics chain," he said. "Fayard should not play into Russia's hands here and prepare the ships for a business that Europe actually intends to weaken," he added.
Swedish left-wing MEP Jonas Sjöstedt said: "Every loophole left open and every service provided to these vessels make our sanctions weaker and give Russia more room to continue financing its war."
The Danish shipyard firm has previously said it complied with current EU rules and contributed to maritime safety.
But the company has also come under political pressure in Denmark, with prime minister Mette Frederiksen previously saying its work supported Russia’s war effort.
"There remains substantial trade between the EU and Russia in goods that European countries continue to require," said Fayard to EUobsever.
"Fayard does not service Russian vessels. We service vessels owned by international shipping companies operating between the Yamal terminal and European ports in full compliance with all rules and guidelines. We comply with EU decisions, and accordingly these assignments will cease at the end of this year," the firm said.
