On 15 June 2021, a keel-laying ceremony was held at Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex in the Russian Far Eas, for a new Arctic LNG carrier ordered by Sovcomflot.
The LNG tanker is the lead vessel in a series of 15 carriers ordered from Zvezda for servicing the Arctic LNG 2 project. She is the first- vessel of such dimensions, cargo capacity and icebreaking capabilities to be ever constructed at a Russian shipyard.
The lead vessel of the series will be owned by SCF, while the remaining 14 ships will belong to by SMART LNG, a joint venture between Sovcomflot and Novatek, the investor of the Arctic LNG project.
All еру vessels in the series will operate under long-term time-charter contracts with Arctic LNG 2. Their construction is financed by VEB.RF.
All еру 15 carriers will fly the Russian flag, the shipbuilding process is being supervised by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping and Bureau Veritas.
The vessels of the series are scheduled for delivery during 2023-2025. The keel for the lead vessel has been laid in line with the contractual schedule, SCF underlined.
This series of ice-class Arc7 vessels is designed for year-round transportation of LNG in the challenging conditions of the Northern Sea Route, including its eastern sector. Importantly, these vessels will have increased icebreaking capabilities and maneuverability in the ice compared to the first generation icebreaking LNG carriers (“Christophe de Margerie” series).
Each LNG carrier will be 300 metres long, 48.8 metres wide, and will have a cargo capacity of 172,600 m3. The propulsion system includes three azimuth propulsion units, with a total power capacity of 45 MW.