Russia's Yamal LNG resumed ship-to-ship liquefied natural gas operations near the Arctic port of Murmansk, LSEG data showed on Thursday, opening the way for the possible resumption of exports of the fuel to Asia for the first time this winter season.

The ship-to-ship scheme, in which ice-class gas carriers upload cargoes to conventional vessels for further deliveries, allows the company to optimize the usage of expensive ice-class tankers in winter season when navigation via the eastward Northern Sea Route along the Russian Arctic shore is restricted.

Such a scheme is usually used for exports to Asia.

The LSEG data showed that the Arc7 LNG tanker Vladimir Vize, carrying an LNG cargo from Yamal LNG, and Seapeak Yamal gas carrier are positioned near Kildin Island.

Patrick Pouyanne, the CEO of French energy major Total, said on Wednesday that the company was asking the French government and European Commission to clarify a European Union ban on Russian liquefied natural gas imports.

Total owns a 20% direct stake in Yamal LNG as well as a 19.4% stake in private Russian company Novatek, Yamal's parent.