The European Union (EU) has seen a sharp increase in the import of disposable canisters in 40-foot containers with an equivalent of 3.000 cubic metres (cbm) of helium in each container.
Between 2019-2023, due to the helium shortage, China was only shipping empty canisters, which were then filled in Europe. Today, they are imported in larger numbers at ‘very cheap prices and arrive already filled with helium’, according to research from political consultancy Rasmussen Global. From 28.6 tonnes imported from China in 2022, volumes to Europe jumped to 1,630 tonnes last year.
In parallel, Russia has increased its helium exports to China as a result of restarting the Amur plant, which combined with the absence of indigenous helium sources in China, strongly suggests that the helium entering the EU in these canisters originates from Russia – representing a violation of EU sanctions on Russian helium (CN 28042910).
The 14th package of sanctions, announced in June, contained important energy-related measures targeting liquified natural gas (LNG) and helium.
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