O peso das sanções econômicas ocidentais vai paralisar vários projetos da Rússia de Putin: navio quebra gelo comprometido - Malte Humpert (gCaptain)

 

Russia’s first ice-capable LNG gas carrier beings trials. 

In a significant step to expand Russia’s domestic shipbuilding portfolio the Zvezda shipyard has completed work on its first LNG vessel. Ice-capable gas carrier Aleksey Kosygin departed from the yard near Vladivostok for sea trials on December 25. It is the first LNG carrier completed by a Russian yard, though key parts of the vessels were constructed in South Korea. The vessel will become part of the fleet to service Russia’s flagship LNG plant, Arctic LNG 2. The project has been plagued by delays due to escalating Western sanctions. Majority owner Novatek has struggled to secure ice-capable shipping capacity to service the project during winter. The company has thus far also been unable to find buyers for its LNG. Originally Arctic LNG 2 was designed to rely on a fleet of 21 ice-capable LNG carriers for year-round transport via the Arctic; none of which have been delivered. The Arc7 LNG carriers – 300 meters long and 48.8 meters wide – are designed for year-round independent navigation along the Northern Sea Route. With a 45 MW power plant and powerful icebreaking capabilities they can travel through ice up to 1.7 meters thick.

AIS data showing Aleksey Kosygin beginning sea trials. (Source: Shipatlas)

Following sea trials Aleksey Kosygin is expected to enter service in early 2025. South Korean firm Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) constructed the more challenging blocks of the vessel. The hull up to the forward cargo bulkhead was towed to Zvezda in October 2021. The vessel was completed at Zvezda, including the installation of the gas membrane through French manufacturer GTT and propulsion components by European supplies MAN and Wärtsilä. SHI had been contracted to provide 15 hulls to Zvezda, but only delivered five of them before the sanctions environment prompted the cancellation of the contract in 2024. Over the past several years the five delivered hulls remained at various stages of construction prompting questions how many vessels Russia would be able to launch on its own.

Source: Malte Humpert in gCaptain