Sovcomflot has reports on September 2 its Aframax tanker “Korolev Prospect” completed the voyage along the Northern Sea Route. This is the first time in history that a large-tonnage tanker crossed the NSR using as fuel only LNG all the way.
The transit time from Cape Zhelaniya to Cape Dezhnev made slightly more than 7 days instead of the expected 8 days, the vessel sailed a distance of 2,118 miles at an average speed of 2.2 knots.
Oleg Shishkin, Master of “Korolev Prospect”, said the favourable weather conditions made it possible for the tanker to cross the Northern Sea Route without an icebreaker to assist it.
Supported by timely forecasts, the tanker avoided large icebergs in the Vilkitskty Strait and bypass packed ice in the Long Strait and sailed a new route north of Wrangel Island.
‘We believe this new route, same as the “Tilkhnonov Route”, will be well used for commercial shipping of LNG eastwards’, O.Shishkin added.
“Korolev Prospect” is making a commercial voyage delivering crude oil from Murmansk to China. The 2019-built, 113,232 dwt, 250 m LOA and 44 m beam vessel has a 1A/1B ice class.