Alexey Kosygin

The Alexey Kosygin is Russia's first domestically assembled Arc7 ICE-class LNG carrier, delivered in January 2026 by Zvezda Shipyard at Bolshoy Kamen in Russia's FAR East. Named after Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin (Prime Minister 1964-1980), the vessel is the first of a planned domestic Arc7 series intended to reduce Russia's dependence on European shipyards for maintenance and servicing of its Arctic LNG fleet.

The delivery was directly triggered by Western sanctions pressure: the EU's proposed 20th sanctions package would block European dry-dock servicing of the entire Arc7 fleet, and six vessels are due their summer 2026 dry-dock cycle. The Kosygin represents Russia's signal that domestic replacement capacity is building, though it is not yet proven at scale.

Arc7 carriers are purpose-built for independent year-round navigation of the Northern Sea Route without icebreaker escort. They are essential to Novatek's Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG 2 export operations. The Kosygin's commissioning is therefore both an operational addition to the Russian Arctic LNG fleet and a geopolitical statement of intent about the viability of Russia's Arctic logistics chain under Western sanctions.