Reuters is reporting that Yamal LNG is expecting to export up to 11.7 million t of LNG via Norway in the next seven months.
As the Novatek-operated LNG terminal in Artic Russia continues to increase its production, it has found that the only way it can deliver its additional LNG to market is by ship-to-ship (STS) transfers in Norwegian waters.
These transfers take place between Yamal-operated Artic class tankers, which carry the LNG cargoes from the terminal to Norwegian waters, and conventional LNG tankers. Offloading cargoes in this fashion allows the Artic class tankers to return to Yamal more quickly in order to be loaded with a new cargo for export in the same fashion.
The first of these transfers recently took place off the coast of Honningsvag, Norway, and the journey time saving has proven to be substantial. In light of the fact that the tanker’s previous transfer points were located in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, the saving in terms of distance has been at least 2000 km.
As these operations increase in regularity, the local mayor of Honningsvag is predicting that up to 160 transfers, involving approximately 300 ships, could be made by June 2019.