Sovcomflot signs financing & time-charter agreements for the 1st icebreaking LNG carrier for Arctic LNG-2

St-Petersburg, November 5 - Neftegaz.RU. Sovcomflot (SCF) Group and VEB.RF Group, a Russian financial institution, signed an agreement for lease financing of the lead ship in a series of icebreaking LNG carriers expected to be built to serve the Arctic LNG 2 project. At the same time, SCF Group and NOVATEK signed a long-term time charter agreement for this tanker.

The vessel will be constructed at Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex in the Russian Far East. She is designed for year-round operations in the challenging ice conditions of the Kara Sea and The Gulf of Ob and will be able to sail independently through ice over 2 metres thick.

All the LNG carriers in the new series will be operated under the Russian flag. The Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) will provide technical supervision during the construction of the vessel series.

For over a decade, SCF’s vessels have been successfully operating in the Barents and Pechora Seas, and across the Northern Sea Route. During this period, the company has accumulated unique experience from operating advanced technology ships in harsh, high latitude environments, as well as developing and introducing logistical support solutions for large-scale energy projects in the Russian Arctic.

In 2017, Sovcomflot introduced the world’s 1st icebreaking LNG carrier, Christophe de Margerie. Her appearance signalled the market debut for Yamalmax ships, a new class of vessel.