Keel-laying held for Russian Arctic LNG carrier
A Russian shipper said August 20 that a keel-laying ceremony was held on the country’s far east coast for a new icebreaking LNG carrier.
Russian shipping company Sovcomflot (SCF) said the ceremony was held at the Zvezda shipbuilding complex in Russia’s eastern Primorsky region. Carriers such as these are designed for operations in the extreme environments along the Northern Sea Route (NSR), a shipping lane from the Kara Sea in Russia’s north to the Bering Strait.
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The shipping lane is usually free of ice for only about two months of the year. SCF said the newbuild, the first in a series of 14 new icebreaking LNG carriers, can break more ice and is more maneuverable than earlier classes.
“The delivery of these new LNG carriers will help facilitate the growth of cargo traffic along the NSR and allow year-round navigation along its eastern part,” the company said.
The new, highest-class vessels, characterised as Arc7 type, were ordered by SMART LNG, a joint venture between Sovcomflot and Russian gas producer Novatek.
Novatek is behind the planned Arctic LNG-1 facility, which will draw on gas produced at the Soletsko-Khanavaiskoye, Geofizicheskoye and Trekhbugornoye fields on the Gydan peninsula to produce an expected 19.8mn metric tons/year of LNG.
Development at the LNG facility could start as early as 2026. SCF’s latest Arc7 icebreaker is scheduled for delivery next year.