MOSCOW- Russian liquefied natural gas producer (LNG) Sakhalin Energy plans to stop output for around a month starting in July to carry out maintenance, the company said on Thursday, without giving a precise date.

It said the annual loading schedule from Sakhalin-2 LNG plant for 2021 has taken account of the maintenance, which was agreed a few years ago.

Sakhalin Energy produced and shipped record volumes of LNG in 2020, topping 11.6 million tonnes and accounting for 3.2% of the global LNG demand.

Sakhalin Energy said previously the overhaul would improve safety and cut greenhouse gas emissions. The company supplies LNG to the Asia-Pacific, with major customers in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

Equity holders in Sakhalin Energy include Gazprom, Royal Dutch Shell and Japanese firms Mitsui and Mitsubishi Corp.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin Editing by Katya Golubkova and Barbara Lewis) ((vladimir.soldatkin@reuters.com; +7 495 775 12 42;))