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Norilsk News

18 Jan 2022

Helsinki Shipyard Orders Main Equipment for Nornickel’s New Icebreaker

(Image: Aker Arctic)

Finnish shipbuilder Helsinki Shipyard Oy announced it has completed purchasing contracts for the main equipment of Nornickel’s icebreaker contracted last year, along with model tests in ice and open water for the icebreaker design developed by Aker Arctic.Russian mining company Norilsk Nickel ordered the new environmentally friendly icebreaker for its operations in the Yenisei River basin, Yenisei Bay and the Kara Sea securing access to Dudinka seaport both for its own fleet and its partners.

09 Jun 2019

DP World Eyes Arctic Sea Route

Dubai-based ports operator DP World hopes to run ports that Russia plans to build along an Arctic sea route intended to shorten shipping times between east and west.The quadrilateral agreement of intent with Russian Direct Investment Fund, an investment fund of the Russian Federation, Rosatom, the infrastructure operator of the NSR and Norilsk Nickel, a world leader in the production of palladium and high-quality nickel, was signed, reported Reuters.The signed deal between the Emirati company and the Russian firms is not legally binding, according to Reuters.“This is going to change the [economic] growth for Russia,” DP World Chief Executive Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem  said in an interview with Reuters in St. Petersburg.

16 Sep 2016

Finland's 1st LNG Terminal Opens

Finland’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal at Pori on the west coast was officially opened, says Gasum. Deliveries of LNG to customers began on the same day, the company said in its statement. It enables LNG deliveries to industrial, maritime and heavy-duty road transport customers outside the gas pipeline network and diversifies the Finnish energy market. Access to LNG in Finland will improve considerably following the opening of the terminal. This is an important competitiveness factor for the M20 Industrial Park at the Port of Pori as well as current industrial operators in the area, of which the energy company Huntsman Pigments and Additives Oy, Kemira Oyj, Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta Oy and Porin Prosessivoima have already switched to LNG.

10 Jul 2016

First Shipload of LNG Arrives at Skangas Terminal Finland

Sunday July 10th 2016 the first shipload of liquefied natural gas (LNG) arrived at the Gasum’s subsidiary Skangas LNG terminal in Pori. To be completed in August, the facility is the first LNG import terminal in Finland. LNG was brought with the time chartered Skangas Coral Energy carrier from the North West Europe. The Skangas LNG terminal is undergoing commissioning, and commercial deliveries to customers will begin in September. LNG will help diversify the Finnish energy market as it enables deliveries to industrial operators outside the gas pipeline network as well as for maritime and heavy-duty road transport. The construction of the Skangas LNG import terminal in Pori has progressed according to the planned schedule without any accidents resulting in absence from work.

20 Feb 2015

Germany’s Nordic Yards Set to Build Shipyard in Russia

The German shipbuilder Nordic Yards is considering constructing shipyards in Russia, in particular in the Far East. The owner of the shipbuilder, Vitaly Yusufov confirmed that his company is actively considering the possibility of building own facilities, since the trend toward increasing localization is such that the longer, the higher by year the percentage of necessary localization. Nordic Yards expects, and this is evident from the practice of holding tenders, that tender documents in our country will define requirements for localization. "But in order to participate in tenders, we have to prove the capabilities of production," he added.

29 Nov 2014

Russian Assets Sink on Oil price Collapse

Russia's rouble and shares hit new lows on Friday as oil prices collapsed after OPEC decided to leave its output unchanged despite heavy oversupply. At 1000 GMT, the rouble was around 2.2 percent below the previous close at 49.72 roubles per dollar, and 1.7 percent weaker against the euro at 61.94 roubles . It earlier hit an all-time low of 49.90 to the dollar. Traders said market moves were exacerbated by thin volumes, which mean that even small purchases of foreign currency were able to move the market. Brent crude was last trading at around $72 a barrel after falling as much as $6.50 a barrel a day earlier, when the OPEC oil producer group made known its decision not to cut its output targets.

17 Jun 2014

ABB Wins LNG Carrier Electric Power & Propulsion Contract

ABB inform that its technology will power ice-going LNG carriers carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Siberia to Europe and Asia, having  secured a contract to supply electrical power and propulsion systems for the first of 16 Yamal LNG carriers. The contract, which includes options to equip 15 further vessels, is part of a project to transport LNG from the Yamal peninsula in Northwest Siberia to Asia and Europe. The order was booked in the first quarter. A consortium of partners, headed by Russian gas producer Novatek, have joined the Yamal project to open up gas from the Yamal peninsula, which is located inside the Arctic Circle and locked in ice for most of the year.

07 May 2014

The Bounds of Arctic Russia Defined

A decree defining the land territory of Arctic Russia has been signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and published on the Kremlin's website, reports the officeal news agency Arctic-Info. According to the [final] document, the Russian Arctic zone includes the territory of Murmansk Region, the Nenets, Chukchi and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Regions, the municipal formation of the the urban district of Vorkuta (Komi Republic), the municipal district of Norilsk, as well as several areas of Yakutia, two districts of Krasnoyarsk Territory and municipalities of Archangel Region. In addition, in accordance with the decree, the Russian Arctic zone includes land and Islands of the Arctic Ocean indicated in the order of the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR of 15 April…

22 Apr 2014

Arctic Energy Exploration Efforts Heat Up

The first ever cargo vessel to sail from Murmansk to Shanghai via the Northern Sea Route, without the assistance of icebreakers, recently completed its maiden crossing, cutting a 65-day journey on the return leg down to 19 days. ABB’s Azipod electric propulsion technology helps to make the year-round journey possible. (Photo: ABB)

Oil and gas—and also mining—are the drivers today propelling Arctic maritime operations and the construction of new vessels able to operate in extreme latitudes. While the gas and oil resources can be recovered in the Arctic or far north and shipped to markets by sea or pipeline, the cost of doing must be balanced upon the global market price for those commodities. Ships and marine structures able to operate in the harsh conditions of the extreme latitudes require special designs and construction techniques.

13 Nov 2013

Russian PM Discusses Massive Arctic Ore Mining Plans

Arctic Ore Mining Discussion: Photo credit Arctic-info

The Prime Minister of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev met with with the Director General of Norilsk, Nickel, Vladimir Potanin, to talk about the company's plan to increase geological exploration in the Arctic region, reports Arctic-info. The nickel ore mining company will become a key figure in  the development of the Arctic branch (Taimyr), which has a world class resource base: by 2018, it is planned to increase the extraction of ore to 18.5-19 million tonnes from the current approximately 16.5 million tonnes. The new mines of Taimyr have planned investments of $700 million.

09 Aug 2013

Nordic Yards to Build Deckhouse for Russian Icebreaker

Nordic Yards rendering of Icebreaker LK-25

Nordic Yards has been awarded the tender for the construction of a deckhouse for a Russian icebreaker. A contract for the fabrication of a deckhouse as part of the superstructure for the icebreaker LK-25 was concluded between the St. Petersburg Baltic Shipyard, which is part of the Russian state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation OSK, and Germany's Nordic Yards. According to the terms of the contract, the deckhouse weighs 2,500 tonnes and is fully fitted out. The keel-laying for the icebreaker "Viktor Tschernomyrdin"…

24 Jun 2013

Finnish Shipbuilding and Arctic Operations

The first of two Arctic offshore supply vessels for Russia’s SCF Group was recently delivered by Arctech Helsinki Shipyard

The STX Turku Shipyard in Finland recently lost the order for a third Oasis class cruise ship and an option for a fourth to ”sister” shipyard STX France, when neither the owner, the financially troubled STX Group, nor the Finnish government wanted to inject a missing $64.3m to the capital of the shipyard. The yard is currently building two 97,000gt cruise ships for TUI Cruises. In January the shipyard delivered the world’s first LNG-fuelled big size passenger-car ferry, the Viking Grace for Baltic ferry operator Viking Line.

05 Nov 2011

Castrol Calls for Clarity on Polar Lubricants Usage

As Polar shipping movements increase, Castrol Marine suggests that greater attention should be paid to the environmental credentials of lubricants used on board in applications where there is a risk of leakages and discharges. Growing demand for effective shipping routes and cruises to previously inaccessible destinations has led vessels into increasingly sensitive marine areas. Exemplary is the increasing amount of seaborne traffic beginning to move along the Siberian coast. There are also hopes of opening up more of the North West Passage above Canada. The Northern Sea Route voyage is one-third of the distance of traditional routes through the Suez Canal, bringing with it lower fuel costs.

21 Sep 2009

New Commitments to Russia from ABB Marine

Russia’s key role in capturing hard to reach Arctic energy resources has prompted two new initiatives from leading electric propulsion systems supplier ABB Marine, targeting both the nation’s newbuild and ship support sectors. The company has established a new marine service centre at Murmansk, committed to supporting vessels operating in North-West Russia through their 25-30 year lifespan. It is also refocusing activities at its established St Petersburg office, by appointing a new manager responsible for newbuilding projects from the design stage through to systems delivery, in order to develop closer relations within Russia with owners, class, designers, shipyards and research institutes.

12 Jun 2009

Norilsk Nickel to Start Loading Cargo Again

Norilsk Nickel reportedly expects to restart loading cargo ships after a seasonal halt of its main export outlet, the Arctic , caused by flooding, according to a Reuters report. normally interrupts loading of nickel, copper and cobalt bound for export markets and focuses on its refineries on the northwestern at the end of May, when ice breaks on the river where Dudinka is located.

11 Mar 2008

Companies Capitalize on Warming Waters

Norilsk Nickel is building its own fleet of ships to capitalize on the melting of the polar ice caps. The company ordered five reinforced cargo vessels that can plow through the waters north of as new sea routes open. Moscow-based , the world's biggest producer of nickel, is spending at least $467 million to buy reinforced vessels rather than rent both freighters and icebreaker escorts. Global warming, while threatening environmental disasters, is creating economic opportunity for ship owners, makers of ocean cargo vessels and tour operators. New routes may expand access to the world's second-biggest oil supply, deliver wheat to 30% faster and increase Arctic tourism as much as 50% in a decade, Bloomberg reported. 's Aker Yards and 's Samsung Heavy Industries Co.

27 Feb 2008

Global Warming Melts New Sea Lanes for Norilsk, ConocoPhillips

Norilsk, the world's biggest producer of nickel, is building its own shipping fleet to capitalize on the melting of the polar ice caps, Bloomberg reported. The company ordered five reinforced cargo vessels that can plow through the waters north of Siberia as new sea routes open. Norilsk is spending at least $467m to buy reinforced vessels rather than rent both freighters and icebreaker escorts. Global warming, while threatening environmental disasters, is creating economic opportunity for shippers, makers of ocean cargo vessels and tour operators. New routes may expand access to the world's second-biggest oil supply, deliver U.S. wheat to Asia 30 percent faster and increase Arctic tourism as much as 50 percent in a decade.

13 Apr 2000

Submarines As Ore Carriers?

Russia'sNorilsk Nickel - a big metal producer -- has finished a feasibility study of a project to use nuclear submarines for ore shipments, which once started will cost $80 million, Norilsk's chairman said. "The feasibility study has been prepared and now the board of directors has to approve spending of up to $80 million for its implementation," Yuri Kotlyar said. Kotlyar said the company could use two Typhoon class submarines to carry cargoes between the Arctic ports of Murmansk and Dudinka, where Norilsk units are situated. The 30,000-ton Typhoon is Russia's largest submarine, which can carry up to 20 nuclear missiles. But defense experts say that due to cash shortages not all of Russia's Typhoons carry them.

14 Apr 2000

Submarines To Be Used As Ore Carriers?

Russian metals giant Norilsk Nickel has finished a feasibility study of a project to use nuclear submarines for ore shipments, which once started will cost $80 million, Norilsk's chairman said. "The feasibility study has been prepared and now the board of directors has to approve spending of up to $80 million for its implementation," Yuri Kotlyar said. Kotlyar said the company could use two Typhoon class submarines to carry cargoes between the Arctic ports of Murmansk and Dudinka, where Norilsk units are situated. The 30,000-ton Typhoon is Russia's largest submarine, which can carry up to 20 nuclear missiles. But defense experts say that due to cash shortages not all of Russia's Typhoons carry them.

03 Sep 1999

Arctic Ice Build-Up Likely To Cause Shipping Disruptions

Severe weather in Russia's Arctic already led to the build-up of more ice than normal for this time of year and is likely to cause major disruptions to shipping by October, a senior shipping official said. "I have warned all possible clients that in October we will face big difficulties, especially in the second half of the month," Nikolai Babich, head of maritime operations at the Murmansk Shipping Company, said. "I've warned everyone that we may not be able to transport their cargoes as ordered. Murmansk Shipping Company operates Russia's fleet of nuclear icebreakers, which keeps the vital northern shipping route spanning the entire north coast of the country open to shipping throughout the year.

11 Apr 2006

Aker Yards Delivered Arctic Container Vessel

MS Norilskiy Nickel, an arctic container vessel built under NB 505 at Aker Yards in Helsinki, was delivered to the Russian MMC Norilsk Nickel. The vessel is intended for traffic on the Northern Sea Route. The vessel left Helsinki on March 3 for ice trials in real arctic conditions in Northern Russia. After successfully completing its trials, it was handed over to the owners in Murmansk on April 11. MS Norilskiy Nickel is a prototype based on the double-acting ship concept developed by Aker Yards. The 14,500 dwt Arctic Container Vessel worth $84.9 m is 169 m x 23 m, with 9 m draught and capable of breaking 1.5 m ice. It will transport metallurgical products from Dudinka on the river of Yenisey to Murmansk.

17 Jul 2006

Aker Yards Signs Contract with Norilsk Nickel

Aker Yards has signed a contract with the large Russian mining company Norilsk Nickel for delivery of four container/cargo ships for arctic operations, with an option for a fifth newbuilding. This order of Aker Yards' Business Area Merchant Vessels has a total value of approximately EUR 320 million for four vessels and follows Norilsk Nickel's recent deployment of the first vessel of this type, MS Norilskiy Nickel. The newly contracted vessels are scheduled for delivery by Aker Yards' German shipyards from the third quarter of 2008 through the first quarter of 2009. These specialized container/cargo vessels traverse ice-covered seas without icebreaker assistance, due to the double-acting hull form and propulsion system developed and patented by Aker Yards.

19 Oct 2006

ABB Wins Azipod Propulsion Orders

ABB has signed contracts worth to supply Azipod propulsion, power generation and distribution systems for a total of eleven vessels. They are being built by Admiralty Shipyard, Aker Yards, Fincantieri, Meyer Werft and for Sovcomflot, MMC Norilsk Nickel, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Crociere and Holland America Line. Two Arctic shuttle tankers for Sovcomflot will be equipped with two 8.5 MW Azipod units with ice class LU6 according to Russian Maritime Register rules. The vessels will be built at the Admiralty Shipyard in St. Petersburg, Russia and they will be designed to use the DA (Double Acting) concept. The ABB delivery also includes medium voltage generators, main switchboards, transformers, and frequency converters.