LatAmOil: Argentina turns Russian LNG away due to concerns over sanctions

Buenos Aires has cited sanctions against Moscow as the reason for a state-owned company’s decision to refuse delivery of a cargo of Russian-produced LNG last week, even though Argentina’s government has not imposed any restrictions on trade with Russia since the invasion of Ukraine.

Argentina’s Economy Minister Sergio Massa said on July 18 that Energía Argentina SA (Enarsa) had blocked an LNG tanker from unloading its cargo at the Bahia Blanca terminal. The company took this step in light of the sanctions on Russia, he told C5N TV in an interview.

“Enarsa blocked the delivery because it violates the contract, because it’s a sanctioned company,” he said.

Massa did not name the company in question or provide full details. However, Bloomberg reported that the cargo, which consisted of natural gas produced, processed and exported by the Russian-led Yamal LNG consortium, had bent sent to Bahia Blanca from the Montoir de Bretagne terminal in France in the Flex Artemis, a tanker hired by Cyprus-registered Gunvor.