Reuters is reporting that three new Arctic class LNG tankers have completed sea trials and are due to start operations at the Yamal LNG terminal in northern Russia.
Novatek’s Yamal terminal has been delivering LNG shipments at a pace that has exceeded expectations, after loading its first cargo in December 2017. Two trains are currently up and running at capacity and a third is in the process of being commissioned.
As part of the project, the first along Russia’s northern coast which is trapped by thick ice for most of the year, 15 Arc7 class carriers were ordered ahead of time from South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co (DSME).
The Arc7 classification means that a vessel is capable of traversing waters north of Russia without the help of icebreakers.
The progress of the first three of these vessels is as follows:
- The 170 000 m3 Rudolf Samoylovich, operated by LNG shipper Teekay, has left DSME’s Korean shipyard and is due to arrive at Yamal’s Sabetta port on 7 September.
- Vladimir Vize, managed by Mitsui Osk Lines has been launched but remains moored at Okpo.
- Dynagas’s Georgiy Brusilov returned to Okpo on 25 August after sea trials.
The three vessels will lift the number of Arc7 tankers operating from Yamal to eight, with another two due to be delivered by the end of 2018. Two Arc4 tankers, Dynagas’s Clean Planet and SovComFlot’s Pskov have also been shipping to and from Yamal LNG.
All but one of the Arc7 vessels are named after Russian arctic explorers and scientists.