Nordic Yards Holding GmbH (German) and MMC Norilsk Nickel OJSC have signed a contract for building a tanker for Norilsk Nickel. The tanker project is scheduled to be completed and launched by the end of September 2011, the Norilsk Nickel press release said, posted on the Company's website.
The 100m-euro-worth Arctic-class (Arc7) tanker is meant for shipping fuel and lubricants to Dudinka and delivering gas condensate from Pelyatkinsky gas field (Taimyr) to the “Continent” to ensure smooth supplies of hydrocarbons to the Norilsk region and other Far North Russian areas, Sergey Buzov, the Deputy General Director, Head of Commodity and Transport Logistics said.
Earlier, Nordic Yards, Wiesmar had built 4 diesel electric boats for Norilsk Nickel. The German shipbuilder was picked as its ships trials had shown high quality and efficiency in the Arctic conditions.
The 169-m-long, 23.1-m-wide 20.000mt-displacement tanker with engine power rated 13.000 kWt will ensure its easy navigation on the Northern Sea Route. Equipped with “Azipod” propeller engine and a strengthened hull the tanker can move and navigate through 1.5-m-ice-covered waters. The ship may be operated easily in the hard-to-reach harborage and in the roadstead for offshore loading and unloading as it will be facilitated with a bow maneuvering device.
The vessel will be built in compliance with international conventions and requirements of the Norwegian society Det Norske Veritas and Russian Maritime Register of Shipping and the.
MMC Norilsk Nickel is a diversified mining and metal producing company, a leading global producer of nickel, palladium, platinum, cobalt, copper and rhodium. The company specializes also in mining of gold, silver, iridium, osmium, selenium, ruthenium and tellurium.
The Company’s facilities are located across the world, operating in Russia (Norilsk Industrial Area and Kola Peninsula), Finland, USA, Australia, Botswana and South Africa.