Christophe De Margerie News

Energy supplies originating from Russia were still being delivered to Britain on Friday after some dock workers at a terminal in southeast England sought to block a cargo in solidarity with Ukraine, ship-tracking data shows.Supplies of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe have been disrupted this week by uncertainty over whether ships can discharge cargoes at European ports after the imposition of sanctions on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine and a ban by British ports on Russian-linked ships.British union Unison has complained that its members working at the Isle of Grain LNG terminal did not want to accept Russian gas and called for tougher measures from the government.Britain on Tuesday banned from its ports all ships that are Russian owned…

European Union countries are considering a ban on Russian ships entering the bloc's ports, aiming to tighten sea restrictions after a halt on air traffic, European officials say, a step that would further hamper Russia's commercial shipments.Britain already decided on Monday to deny entry to British ports to all ships that are Russian owned, operated, controlled, chartered, registered or flagged. Canada followed on Tuesday, saying it would shut its ports to Russian-owned ships later this week, a day after it banned Russian crude oil imports.

Samsung Heavy Industries SHI selected Light Structures AS, a supplier of fiber optic condition monitoring systems for maritime applications, to deliver comprehensive ice load monitoring systems for 10 Arctic Liquid Natural Gas Carriers (ALNGC) operated by Russia´s largest shipping company, Sovcomflot.Click here for feature on Light Structures' as published in the November 2021 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineeering NewsThe first of Sovcomflot’s newbuild ice-class ships will be delivered before the end of the year, with six more due in 2022 and the final three arriving in 2023.

In February 2021, LNG carrier Christophe de Margerie, escorted by a nuclear icebreaker, became the first large-capacity cargo vessel to transit the eastern sector of the Northern Sea Route (NSR). The voyage demonstrated that year-round safe navigation is possible along the entire length of the Northern Sea Route (NSR).In the last five years, cargo traffic along the NSR has grown almost fivefold, reaching 33 million tons in 2020. Last year, there were 64 voyages on the NSR compared with 37 in 2019.

Russian shipbuilder Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex on Tuesday held a keel laying ceremony for a new Arctic liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier ordered by compatriot shipowner PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group).The newbuild is the lead vessel in a series of 15 carriers ordered from Zvezda for servicing the Arctic LNG 2 project. She is the first-ever vessel of such dimensions, cargo capacity and icebreaking capabilities to be constructed at a Russian shipyard.The series' lead ship will be owned by SCF…

South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has signed shipbuilding contracts with Russia's Sovcomflot and Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines for the construction of six icebreaking Arc7 liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers based on a newly developed design.The new ships will be the second generation of vessels engineered to transport LNG from the Russian Arctic, with special emphasis on year-round operation in the eastern sector of the Northern Sea Route.DSME…

Russian gas giant Novatek has informed that its Arctic LNG 2 joint venture has entered into long-term charter agreements for 14 Arc7 ice-class LNG tankers.The Arctic LNG 2 partners have signed the charter agreements will SMART LNG, a joint venture established in September 2019 between NOVATEK and PAO Sovcomflot. The vessels will be built in Russia's Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex and will serve the giant Arctic LNG 2 project on the Gydan peninsula, Russia. The LNG Carriers will operate under the Russian Federation flag.

Finland-based marine engine and technology provider Wärtsilä said it has been contracted to deliver a complete bridge systems installation for five icebreaking liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled tankers to be constructed for the Arctic LNG-2 project. The navigational systems are delivered by Wärtsilä Voyage, the new business responsible for digital solutions and decision support tools to enhance safety and reliability of shipping operations.The order with Wärtsilä Voyage was placed in the first quarter of 2020 and now is in process of execution…

ABB has signed a contract to support icebreaking LNG carrier Christophe de Margerie with remote diagnostics services for increased safety and performance as the vessel completed the transit of the Northern Sea Route, bound for China with Yamal LNG cargo two months earlier than usualThe pioneering icebreaking liquified natural gas (LNG) carrier Christophe de Margerie will now have round-the-clock remote support provided through ABB’s global network of eight ABB Ability Collaborative Operations Centers.

Sovcomflot's Arc7 ice-class Christophe de Margerie liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier has made history by successfully transiting the Eastbound ice-covered part of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in May, carrying LNG from Novatek's Yamal LNG project to China.The Russian vessel owner said the event marked the first time in the history of the shipping industry that a large-capacity vessel of this class has passed along the Northern Sea Route eastwards in May when the ice conditions in the eastern sector of the NSR are rather difficult.

The first vessel to deliver a liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo from Russia's Yamal plant via the Northern Sea Route this year is on its way to China, ship-tracking data showed and analysts said.The direct route to Asia, shorter than the westward journey via Europe, is frozen for much of the year, but is being used increasingly as climate change means it is free of ice for longer.This year's opening is more than a month earlier compared to 2019, when first vessel to go via the route left Yamal LNG on June 29.The Christophe de Margerie vessel, an Arc7-classed LNG tanker, left the Sabbeta port in Russia's Arctic on May 18 and is expected at China National Petroleum Corp' (CNPC) Tangshan LNG terminal on June 11…

Russian state-controlled shipowner Sovcomflot (SCF) has named the 174,000m³ SCF La Perouse - the first of three LNG tankers on order with South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).The LNG carrier named after Jean-François de la Pérouse, a French explorer of the Pacific.The vessel will operate under a long-term time charter agreement with Total. The event was held at Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries’ shipyard, Republic of Korea. Fleur-Eve Durin le Foll, the spouse of Total’s Country Chair Russia, is the vessel’s sponsor.Sergey Frank, Chairman of the Board of Directors of PAO Sovcomflot, said: “Sovcomflot and Total have enjoyed a strong partnership for many years, and we are happy to have an opportunity to expand this cooperation.

Smart LNG LLC, a joint venture of Sovcomflot and Novatek, signed an agreement with VEB.RF Group for lease financing of four Arc7 icebreaking LNG carriers for the Arctic LNG 2 project. At the same time, SMART LNG signed long-term time charter agreements for these tankers with Arctic LNG 2 LLC.The vessels will be built at Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex in the Russian Far East. Earlier, in October 2019, SCF Group signed financing and long-term time charter agreements for the lead vessel in this series.The design of the series draws upon the experience of operating Christophe de Margerie, the world’s first icebreaking LNG carrier, introduced in 2017. This led to the integration of various advanced engineering solutions into the design.

The last of 15 Arc7-classed tankers ordered for the liquefied natural gas (LNG) production plant Yamal LNG in Russia's Arctic north are undergoing sea trials around a South Korean shipyard, Refinitiv Eikon shipping data showed on Monday.The Georgiy Ushakov and Yakov Gakkel LNG tankers are both in water at the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) Okpo shipyard in South Korea and indicating they are performing sea trials, the data showed. The Vladimir Voronin, meanwhile, finished its sea trials and has left the Sea of Japan, setting Yamal LNG as its destination.

Russian maritime shipping company specializing in petroleum and LNG shipping Sovcomflot (SCF Group) said that Yevgeny Primakov (Icebreaker Ice-15) joined the fleet, the final vessel in a series of four new generation IBSV’s, engaged under a long-term time-charter agreement with Sakhalin Energy.The shipping company added that this makes a total fleet of 10 supply and standby vessels servicing Nogliki Base Camp (SEIC and ENL) at Sakhalin island (Sea of Okhotsk).The world’s first Aframax tanker to use LNG as her primary fuel Gagarin Prospect (114,000 DWT) entered service (July) on long-term time charter to Shell. In last October, Gagarin Prospect completed her first commercial voyage using LNG fuel…

The energy shipping company PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group) has managed to increase its revenue base and achieved a profit of USD 11.9 million against a USD 106.2 million loss in 2017.The annual results reflected a strong contribution from the industrial shipping business (comprising offshore services and LNG transportation). These activities now account for 57.2 per cent of the Group’s TCE revenues (up from a 50.9 per cent share in 2017).Taking into account the challenging conditions in the conventional tanker markets, and in accordance with IFRS accounting standards, SCF Group undertook an impairment review of vessel values for the year ended 31 December 2018.

The Arctic LNG carrier Christophe de Margerie, owned and operated by Sovcomflot, loaded the first batch of liquefied natural gas (LNG) produced at the third train of Yamal LNG plant, at the Port of Sabetta on the Yamal Peninsula.Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian Prime Minister, initiated the start of cargo operations via a video conference with the vessel’s Master Sergey Zybko.Dmitry Medvedev congratulated Yamal LNG on reaching full production capacity and noted:“This is a significant milestone for the entire Russian gas industry and, of course, for our international partners, and for international cooperation in the energy sector. For half a century…

On 24 November 2018, the LNG carrier Pskov successfully completed the first LNG ship-to-ship transfer operation for the Yamal LNG Project. Pskov loaded some 170,000 cu. m. of liquefied gas, which was delivered from the Port of Sabetta (Yamal Peninsula) to the transshipment point by one of the Arctic LNG carriers chartered by Yamal LNG.The cargo transshipment was carried out at the safe anchorage off the port of Honningsvåg, Norway. Upon completion of the transshipment, Pskov proceeded…

An icebreaking liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier has completed a record journey through the Northern Sea Route (NSR) in the Arctic.The Christophe de Margerie owned and operated by Sovcomflot (SCF Group) covered the distance of 2,360 nautical miles eastward through the NSR, from the port of Sabetta (Yamal Peninsula) to Cape Dezhnev (the Bering Strait), in seven days and 17 hours, a new record time for a merchant ship without icebreaker support during the month of July. Throughout the record-setting passage…

Shipments from Russia's Arctic liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant picked up from late last week after maintenance and unseasonably thick sea ice impeded exports this month. The Boris Vilkitski LNG tanker left the area of the Yamal plant on Friday for France's Montoir terminal after spending more than a week idling fully-laden offshore. The Christophe de Margerie tanker, which had spent more than a week circling north of Yamal above the entrance to Ob Bay, went in over the weekend and appears to have loaded, according to ship-tracking data. It is now leaving the area. Last week, thick sea ice paralysed marine traffic in Ob Bay, Russia's state-run nuclear-powered tanker firm Roastomflot said.

PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group), one of the world leaders in energy shipping and marine services to offshore oil and gas upstream projects, said that its gross revenue for the full year to 31 December 2017 grew by 3.4% to $1.43 billion. According to the statement, 2017 proved to be one of the worst years for the conventional tanker market in the last quarter of a century, with similar conditions experienced to those seen in 2011 and 1992. Conventional tanker freight rates fell by almost 50 per cent year-on-year, reflecting an oversupply of speculative orders following the 2015 market spike, as well as the effect of sustained production cuts by OPEC and other oil producing nations and a backwardation in the oil trade.

A vessel that may be carrying liquefied natural gas from Russia's new Yamal LNG export terminal could be heading to the United States despite sanctions against the company that operates the Russian facility, according to a report by S&P Global Platts and Thomson Reuters shipping data. The tanker Chris. De Margerie picked up a cargo from Novatek PAO's Yamal facility, Russia's second LNG export terminal, on Dec. 9 and dropped it off at National Grid Plc's Isle of Grain LNG facility near London on Dec. 28, according to Thomson Reuters data.

On 8 December 2017, the icebreaking LNG carrier Christophe de Margerie completed her first loading at the Port of Sabetta, on the Yamal Peninsular, with her first cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) produced at the Yamal LNG plant. The ceremony was attended by: the Russian President Vladimir Putin, together with Sergey Belousov, Aide to the President; Sergey Donskoy, Russia’s Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection among others. Vladimir Putin said: “This is a remarkable day for us all. I congratulate all those who worked on this project, on this wonderful occasion, the first loading of a new tanker named after our friend Mr. de Margerie. Unfortunately, he is not with us today but we have a tanker named after him. He was one of the pioneers of this project.