EU lifts sanctions against three LNG tankers formerly working for Russia

MOSCOW (Reuters) -The European Union has lifted sanctions against three tankers managed by Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines that had handled Russia-sourced liquefied natural gas after receiving commitments that they will stop doing so, the European Commission said.

The sanctions had been imposed on the tankers North Moon, North Ocean and North Light, which were shipping cargoes from the Yamal LNG plant and had been engaged in ship-to-ship operations near Russia's northern port of Murmansk.

The move is part of the EU's 18th package of sanctions against Russia over its actions in Ukraine.

On its website, the European Commission said it had removed the three from its list of sanctioned vessels "following firm commitments that these LNG tankers will no longer engage in the transport of Russian energy (from) the Russian Yamal and Arctic 2 projects for which they had originally been commissioned".

"This action demonstrates the impact of EU vessel designations, and that vessels can be returned to service following firm commitments."

The tankers were built at the South Korean Hanwha Ocean shipyard last year.

(Reporting by Oksana Kobzeva; Writing by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Jan Harvey)