LNG-fuelled Oil Tanker Set to Cross Russian Arctic

The Korolev Prospect Aframax vessel will become the first LNG-fuelled oil tanker of its size to cross the entire Northern Sea Route (NSR) through the Russian Arctic, its Russian state-owned operator Sovcomflot announced on August 26.

The tanker is transporting a batch of crude oil picked up at Russia’s northwest port of Murmansk to China, Sovcomflot said. The journey should take eight days. The Korolev Prospect will travel at a speed of 12 knots without ice-breaker assistance.

Sovcomflot now has six LNG-fuelled oil tankers in operation, with a further five under construction. Korolev Prospect started working in February. It is 250 metres long, 44 metres wide and has a deadweight tonnage of 113,232.