Vitus Bering News

Russia's Far East Shipping Company (FESCO) and the National Center for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences of India have extended the contract for supplying India’s research stations in Antarctica.“Vasiliy Golovnin” – an icebreaking cargo ship – will deliver general cargo, food products and fuel to Bharati and Maitri stations during Antarctica’s summer in 2019-2020.Scientists of the National Center for Polar and Ocean Research will also join the expedition for the research. The ship will start its voyage in December 2019.Under the previous contract, in 2019 the ship with 2 helicopters and a self-propelled barge were used to deliver more than 4 000 tons of cargo to Bharati and Maitri stations…

A Navis NavDP4000 DP-2 system has been commissioned on board the third vessel in a series of four currently under construction on Arctech Helsinki Shipyards.   This project is a further development of the two multifunctional icebreaking supply vessels Vitus Bering and Aleksey Chirikov delivered for same owner back in 2012 and 2013.   The multifunctional icebreaking standby vessel is designed for year round operations in harsh conditions of Arctic waters, as she was built to Icebreaker 6 class of Russian Maritime Register. She is also designed to act as an accommodation vessel.   The previously delivered Gennadiy Nevelskoy and Stepan Makarov already started operations serving Sakhalin-2 project.

Sovcomflot (SCF Group) and Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) have taken steps to make the Russian fleet more competitive. In 2014, 10 SCF Group vessels were transferred to the RS class, meaning that it is now responsible for the survey of 40 Sovcomflot ships in total. These include the very latest Atlanticmax LNG carriers, multi-purpose icebreaking supply vessels, crude oil tankers, chemical carriers and tugs. In order to satisfy the increasing requirements of large-scale oil and gas projects on Russia’s continental shelf, Sovcomflot plans to expand its fleet of specialized and technically advanced vessels operating under the flag of the Russian Federation, whilst continuing to develop mutually-beneficial partnerships with Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.

SCF Group (Sovcomflot) and Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. (Sakhalin Energy) have signed a contract for the construction and long-term operation of three multifunctional icebreaking standby vessels to serve the Sakhalin-2 offshore energy platforms. The contract covers a 20 year term, during which the vessels will provide safe and reliable services for Sakhalin Energy’s platforms in the Sea of Okhotsk. The vessels will also assist with accommodation of the offshore facilities personnel. In an emergency, the vessels will help evacuate personnel from the offshore platforms and will provide oil spill response services when necessary.

Companies sign agreements for long-term operation of three vessels for the Sakhalin-2 project. SCF Group (Sovcomflot) and Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. have signed a contract for the construction and long-term operation of three multifunctional icebreaking standby vessels to serve the Sakhalin-2 offshore energy platforms. The contract covers a 20 year term, during which the vessels will provide safe and reliable services for Sakhalin Energy’s platforms in the Sea of Okhotsk. The vessels will also assist with accommodation of the offshore facilities personnel. In an emergency, the vessels will help evacuate personnel from the offshore platforms and will provide oil spill response services when necessary.

Heavy lift operations offshore are an awe-inspiring feat, but an operation that requires consistent monitoring of man, machine and procedure to ensure they are conducted in as an efficient and safe manner as possible. Due to a growing focus on safety related to subsea lifting operations, DNV GL recently established a Joint Industry Project (JIP) to develop practical methods for reducing the risks and lifetime cost of steel wire ropes for subsea lifting applications, using an integrated systems approach.

SCF Group (Sovcomflot)
 has released its audited financial results for the year ending 31, December 2013, indicating a slip in profitability during what they describe as another challenging year for the international tanker industry. Further implementation of programme of commercial voyages along the Northern Sea Route, involving ice-class tankers SCF Yenisei  and Viktor Bakaev (first transit completed by the Group in an East-West direction) and the bulk carrier NS Yakutia.

Navis Engineering Oy and Aker Arctic Technology Inc. have signed a scientific and technical cooperation agreement covering the joint development of technology for dynamic positioning (DP) systems for icebreakers and ice-class vessels. The agreement was signed in St. Petersburg during NEVA 2013 at the end of September. Dynamic positioning systems manufactured by Navis Engineering have been installed on a number of icebreakers and ice-class vessels in recent years, including the Polar supply and research icebreaker SA Agulhas II, the Canadian Coast Guard Scientific icebreaker Amundsen and the Sovcomflot-owned multifunctional icebreaking supply vessels Vitus Bering and Aleksey Chirikov, operating for Exxon Neftegaz Ltd in Sakhalin waters in Russia.

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.

Arctic offshore vessel NB 507 has been named after Russian Navigator Aleksey Chirikov at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard. The vessel will be delivered to the largest Russian shipping company Sovcomflot shortly and will continue its path straight to Sakhalin area in Far East Russia, where it will supply the Arkutun-Dagi oil and gas field. Arctech has built two arctic offshore supply vessels for Russian company Sovcomflot, which specialises in hydrocarbon transportation from Arctic and subarctic regions with challenging icy conditions.

NEVA 2013, which convenes in Russia’s ‘maritime capital’ St Petersburg between September 24 and 27, will offer delegates and exhibitors the opportunity to scrutinise the significant developments in the structure and operation of Russia’s maritime industries and the nation’s growing presence on the international stage. Organized by UK-based Dolphin Exhibitions at the Lenexpo exhibition complex, NEVA 2013 is expected to attract more than 870 exhibitors from over 55 countries seeking to broaden trading ties with Russia. It will also feature a wide-ranging conference and seminar programme with an array of leading Russian and foreign experts ready to debate the key issues.

Finland-headquartered DP manufacturer Navis Engineering has delivered its dynamic positioning system for the innovative cruise ferry Viking Grace. The 214-m long Viking Grace, delivered to her owner Viking Lines by the Turku-located STX Europe shipyard on January 10, 2013, is said to be one of the most environmentally-friendly ships built. It is the first large scale passenger ferry to be powered by liquefied natural gas, which reduces emissions significantly. The DP system delivered…

President Vladimir Putin names icebreaking platform supply vessel 'Vitus Bering' & Russian shipbuilders sign newbuild contracts. Modern multipurpose vessels of the Vitus Bering series will conduct year-round deliveries of personnel, goods and expendable supplies to oil production platforms. In particular, it is planned to use this type of icebreaker to ensure the smooth operation of Sakhalin-1 oil platforms in the Arkutun-Dagi field in the Sea of Okhotsk. The lead ship of the series was named after Vitus Bering, an explorer and officer in the Russian Navy.

Arctic offshore vessel NB-506 Vitus Bering was delivered at Helsinki Shipyard on Friday 21.12.2012 to the client Sovcomflot, the largest shipping corporation in Russia. The vessel will supply the Arkutun-Dagi oil and gas field in Sakhalin area, in Far East Russia. Vitus Bering is the first vessel of the series, the sister vessel NB-507 will be delivered in April 2013. ”Delivering this vessel today is an important achievement for Arctech. It is an important reference for us as we compete in orders of arctic vessels in the future.

Metso DNA provide high-technology automatic control system to two new multi-functional icebreaking supply vessels. Arctech Helsinki Shipyard has been a successful builder of multifunctional icebreaking supply vessels built to operate in harsh conditions in Russia, specializing in shipbuilding technology and today, about 60% of the icebreakers in operation in the world are built in Helsinki. The Russian company Sovcomflot has sufficient confidence in Arctech’s skills that it ordered two identical multifunctional icebreaking supply vessels (MIBSV).

Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, joint-venture, that is 50/50 owned by STX Finland and United Shipbuilding Corporation, is building two identical offshore icebreaking supply vessels for Russias largest shipping group Sovcomflot (SCF Group), the leading company in the world specializing in ice-management and shipping in harsh environments. The vessels will supply Exxon Neftegas Limited's platform in Arkutun-Dagi oil and gas field in Sakhalin area, Far East Russia. The development of the field is proceeding at good pace, why also the icebreaking offshore supply vessels are needed in the area. The main task of the Arctic offshore vessels is to supply the oil and gas production platform and to protect it from the ice. Both vessels measure 99.9 m in length and 21.7 m in breadth.