ABB completes delivery for icebreaking LNG carrier fleet

The Yakov Gakkel vessel is owned by a joint venture (JV) between Teekay LNG Partners and China LNG Partners, and joins a fleet of 15 specially designed tankers transporting LNG year-round from Yamal LNG.

According to the statement, the vessels have been built in less than six years and to ARC7 ice class, each with a capacity of 170 000 m³. These ships have opened the Northern Sea Route to commercial gas shipping and significantly expanded the navigation period in the direction of the Asia-Pacific region and ensured year-round transportation of gas to the customers westwards.

The Azipod® propulsion system, where the electric drive motor is in a submerged pod outside the ship hull, can rotate 360 degrees to increase manoeuvrability, which is crucial for vessels operating in ice.

Juha Koskela, Managing Director, ABB Marine & Ports, said: “The sheer scale of this project and the size of the Azipod® units involved make this a milestone for ABB.

“The fuel and emissions-saving capabilities of Azipod® electric propulsion have made it the technology of choice for sensitive arctic conditions for almost 30 years, and we were delighted to leverage our experience to deliver safe and reliable technologies ahead of schedule in line with the project’s demands.”

According to the statement, as part of the projects, ABB solutions also supplied turbochargers, generators, switchboards, transformers, electric drives and propulsion control systems. The order – one of the largest one’s ever for ABB Marine & Ports – was previously announced in Spring 2014.

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/lng-shipping/11122019/abb-completes-delivery-for-icebreaking-lng-carrier-fleet/