The UK has received its first shipment of liquified natural gas (LNG) from Russia’s controversial Yamal facility in the Arctic.

National Grid confirmed the Christophe de Margerie tanker has docked at the London Thamesport on the Isle of Grain in Kent and offloaded its cargo of 170,000 cubic tonnes.

The gas originates from the sanction-hit £20 billion Yamal LNG plant opened earlier in December.

The shipment is expected to be stored in the UK before being sold elsewhere, rather than being used domestically, although it could potentially be used to boost supply following the shutdown of the Forties North Sea Pipeline earlier this month.

The gas belongs to Petronas LNG UK, the British arm of Malaysia LNG, according to Agence France-Presse.