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New ice-classed LNG carrier

“Veliky Novgorod” is designed for year-around operations in the Arctic. Illustraion: Sovcomflot

Russia is serious about shipping liquid natural gas (LNG) in the Arctic. “Veliky Novogorod” sets sail next December.

Location

The keel-laying ceremony took place at the yard in South Korea last Sunday. “Veliky Novgorod” will be the lead vessel in a new series of modern Atlanticmax LNG carriers to be built for Russia’s Sovcomflot shipping company.

The carriers will have ice-class Ice2 (1C) and are especially equipped for operations in low-temperature conditions, Sovcomflot says in a press-release. The vessels can operate in Arctic waters year-around.

In late June this year, the first steel was cut for the second vessel in the class, the “Pskov.” She is expected to set sails from the yard in 2014. Both vessels have a capacity to load around 170,000 cubic meters.

“Veliky Novgorod” will sail on a long-term agreement with Gazprom Global LNG.

Yesterday, the LNG tanker “Ob River” sailed from Statoil’s LNG plant in Hammerfest in Norway. This is the first time a carrier loaded with LNG sails the Northern Sea Route. Her destination is Japan.