Russian Shipping News

The European Union and the United States are now targeting maritime protection and indemnity (P&I) insurance clubs to limit Russian shipping capacity and cap the price of its oil, meaning we’re finally beginning to see some smart sanctions for a stupid war.P&I clubs are maritime insurance groups that specialize in open-ended, large-risk claims. P&I insurance is a requirement for all heavy cargo and container vessels. Under the new sanctions, European P&I clubs can no longer offer insurance to a vessel carrying Russian oil at a price higher than $60 a barrel.Since February 2022…

A tanker carrying Russian fuel oil arrived in Cuba on Thursday, bringing supplies for the Caribbean nation's sputtering power plants and giving Russia an outlet for products shunned by the West.The United States and Canada have imposed sanctions on Russian oil and fuel over its invasion of Ukraine, while Europe and the United Kingdom are moving toward an end-of-year embargo on Russian crude imports.The Liberia-flagged Aframax tanker Suvorovsky Prospect arrived in Cuba's Matanzas port carrying about 700,000 barrels of fuel oil, loaded at Russia's Ust-Luga port. The cargo is worth some $70 million at market prices.The vessel is owned by a unit of top Russian shipping conglomerate Sovcomflot, according to maritime database Equasis. Sovcomflot is under British, Canadian and U.S.

India is providing safety certification for dozens of ships managed by a subsidiary of top Russian shipping group Sovcomflot, official data showed, enabling oil exports to India and elsewhere after Western certifiers withdrew their services due to global sanctions against Moscow.Certification by the Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass), one of the world's top classification companies, provides a final link in the paperwork chain - after insurance coverage - needed to keep state-owned Sovcomflot's tanker fleet afloat and delivering Russian crude oil to overseas markets.Data compiled from the IRClass website shows that it has certified more than 80 ships managed by SCF Management Services (Dubai) Ltd…

Abu Dhabi's Al Seer Marine, a subsidiary of International Holding Company (IHC), has said it has acquired two vessels, valued at a combined AED 246 million ($66,97 million), to meet the "rapidly growing demand for transportation of liquified petroleum gas (LPG)."Al Seer Marine has purchased LPG tankers, MT Alcor and MT Alkaid, each with a capacity of 20,700 cubic meters. The vessels are expected to provide an internal rate of return (IRR) of 25%, Al Seer Marine said. The company plans to buy up to 15 ships in 2022.

The Port of Antwerp is adapting to losing shipping trade with Russia and its merger with the neighboring Port of Zeebrugge is set to boost overall volumes in coming years, the group's chief executive said on Thursday.Global shipping companies including leading container lines have cut business ties with Russia due to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and the imposition of Western sanctions. While food and medical shipments are still allowed, overall exports to Russia have been hit…

The world's top association of ship certifiers has withdrawn membership from the Russia Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) due to the impact of sanctions on Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine, in another blow to the country's vital shipping sector.Classification societies provide services such as checking that ships are seaworthy, and this certification cover is essential for securing insurance and entry into ports.In recent days, Britain's LR and Denmark's DNV, have both announced…

Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Elli which made a Russian port call and is bound for the United States has anchored off Gibraltar awaiting further instructions from its charterer, the vessel's manager said.Last Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden imposed an immediate ban on Russian oil and other energy imports following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.Greece-based Halkidon Shipping Corporation, which manages the Elli, said on Friday the vessel "was instructed by her charterers to remain and await orders off Gibraltar, while en-route from Novorossiisk, Russia to the U.S. Gulf Coast"."The vessel is in laden condition," Halkidon said in a statement."Halkidon…

A Russian-operated oil tanker that Britain turned away over a week ago has yet to find a port to discharge its cargo, and many other vessels are likely to be in the same position as buyers shun trade deals following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.On Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden imposed an immediate ban on Russian oil and other energy imports and Britain announced soon after that it would phase out the import of Russian oil and oil products by the end of 2022.The European Union has yet to provide clarity on the prospect of a similar ban by the bloc. The European Commission, the EU executive, has only said it would continue to work on further sanctions.Britain on March 1 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.

Britain on Monday ordered its ports to block any vessels that are Russian-flagged or believed to be registered, owned or controlled by any person connected with Russia as it ratcheted up the pressure on Moscow.Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said in a letter to all UK ports that further detailed sanctions against Russian shipping were being drawn up following Russia's invasion of Ukraine."The maritime sector is fundamental to international trade and we must play our part in restricting Russia's economic interests and holding the Russian government to account…

Russian shipping firm Sovcomflot and oil firm Gazprom Neft have signed an agreement to develop innovative technologies and use low-carbon fuels in maritime transport.The document was signed by Igor Tonkovidov, President and CEO of Sovcomflot, and Alexander Dyukov, Chairman of the Management Board, CEO, Gazprom Neft.The agreement defines that the two Russian companies will seek cooperation opportunities in the reduction of ship emissions and reinforcement of safety and efficiency…

Russian shipping company PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group) on Friday took delivery of SCF Timmerman, a new 174,000-cubic-meter-capacity liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier. The ship embarked on its maiden commercial voyage the same day, and is operated under a long-term time charter agreement with Shell, which will provide SCF with an additional $165 million of contract backlog.The ship is named after Frans Timmerman, a 17th-century Dutch merchant who served as a shipbuilding mentor to the Russian emperor Peter the Great and played an important role in creating the Russian seaborne fleet.

Russian shipping company Sovcomflot is guiding investors to expect its initial public offering (IPO) to price at the low end of the marketing range, two bookrunners organizing the transaction said on Tuesday.The first big stock market float by a Russian company in a couple of years comes as wider investor sentiment towards Moscow has turned negative after the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, protests in Belarus and renewed clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh.Russian assets…

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.

Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft, Gazprom gas-engine fuel, and the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) have concluded a tripartite cooperation and strategic partnership agreement on developing a liquid natural gas (LNG) fleet and related infrastructure.The memorandum was signed by Gazpromneft Marine Bunker Acting CEO Alexei Medvedev, Gazprom gas-engine fuel, Director General Oleg Melekhin, and USC President Alexey Rakhmanov.The agreement envisages the parties cooperating in research and development activities directed at creating production capacity both for building vessels running on LNG, and in developing LNG infrastructure. The…

Russian maritime shipping company PAO Sovcomflot approved transactions with Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex (Primorsky Region) and a subsidiary of JSC VEB Leasing to place orders for the construction of three new-generation MR product carriers using LNG as their main fuel.The vessels will be chartered to a subsidiary of PJSC NOVATEK under twenty year time-charter agreements, said a press release from the state-owned firm specializing in LNG shipping.Sergey Frank, President and CEO of Sovcomflot, said: "We are grateful to PAO Sovcomflot’s shareholder and our partners PJSC NOVATEK and VEB.RF for supporting SCF’s environmental initiative that…

Russian shipping company PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group) has achieved significant CO2 emission cuts since taking delivery of the first of its “Green Funnel” LNG-fueled Aframax crude oil tankers last year.PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group) has accumulated data showing that using LNG as a primary fuel for these large-capacity tankers enabled a 30 per cent reduction of CO2 emissions compared with similar vessels powered by traditional heavy fuel. This reduction exceeds the original design target values.Igor Tonkovidov, Executive Vice President and CTO/COO of Sovcomflot, delivered a report on the first results of operating ‘Green Funnel’ series tankers…

Russian shipping company Sovcomflot and compatriot oil producer Gazprom Neft Marine Bunker have signed an agreement to cooperate on projects for bunkering ships with LNG fuel.The agreement was signed by Igor Tonkovidov, Executive Vice President and CTO/COO of Sovcomflot, and Andrey Vasiliev, CEO of Gazprom Neft Marine Bunker.Sovcomflot said that the agreement reinforces the mutual interest of both parties regarding their cooperation in the bunkering of Sovcomflot’s tankers with LNG fuel.Compared to conventional marine fuels, the use of LNG fuel allows to significantly reduce emissions of sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide…

The new Vessel Electric Propulsion Training Center at the Admiral Nevelskoy Maritime State University in Russia will help to prepare seafarers for work on vessels equipped with Azipod propulsion systemsThe center will be used to train MSUN cadets, as well as to provide advanced training to commissioned officers of the merchant fleet. It is also planned to conduct research, including scientific and experimental activities, in the area of automation of electric propulsion and vessel power supply.The establishment of the center follows the trilateral research…

Russian shipping company Sovcomflot (SCF Group) said that the Arctic shuttle tanker Mikhail Ulyanov loaded the milestone 10-millionth tonne of commercial oil produced at Prirazlomnaya offshore platform in the Pechora Sea.The energy shipping companies, specialising in the transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied gas, as well as the servicing of offshore oil and gas exploration and production said that this cargo of oil has become the 150th shipped from the platform since the transportation began in April 2014.Symbolically, it was also Mikhail Ulyanov who has delivered the very first cargo of oil produced at the platform…

Russian shipping company FESCO Transportation Group announced that as part of the development of FESCO Fast Forward services it is optimizing the rotation and changing the names of regular shipping lines from China and the Republic of Korea to Russia.Transportation services between China and Russia will be carried out under the brand FESCO China Express, and between the Republic of Korea and Russia - under the brand FESCO Korea Express.FESCO China Express will operate on two routes: Vladivostok-Vostochny-Shekou-Yantian-Xiamen-Ningbo-Shanghai-Vladivostok and the fast route - Eastern Arrow – Vladivostok-Qingdao-Shanghai-Ningbo-Vladivostok.

Russian oil company Rosneft announced it has ordered two Aframax crude oil tankers to be built at Russia's far eastern Zvezda shipyard for scheduled delivery in 2022.The Russian-flagged vessels will have a deadweight of 114,000 metric tons and a 1A/1B ice class, which makes them able to operate in icy conditions year round, including in sub-Arctic seas and Russian ports of the Baltic region, said Russian shipping company PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group).According to the documents, Arctic Leasing will place orders for construction of the two Aframax tankers at the shipyard…

Data from Russia’s ports and Northern Sea Route show that the volume of goods being shipped out into the Arctic waterway are up by 25 percent 2018.According to information from the Russian Transport Ministry, a total of 92.7 million tons was handled by regional seaports, of which almost 70 percent was oil products and liquified natural gas.The biggest increases came in Sabetta, which sits on the icy Yamal Peninsula in the Kara Sea, according to Bellona. With Novatek’s $27 billion Yamal LNG project now in commercial production, Sabetta has seen a 130 percent increase in the volume of cargo it handles – up to 17.4 tons for 2018.Ports in Murmansk alone handled some 60 million tons of cargo in 2018 – an 18.1 percent boost over volumes from the year before.