First vessel of Sakhalin Energy passes through the NSR from the Far East to Europe
For the first time, a ship chartered by Sakhalin Energy has used the Northern Sea Route (NSR) for sailing from the Russian Far East to Europe, from the port of Kholmsk to Murmansk, the company said on Thursday.
The ice-class vessel Yury Topchev completed operation on the Sakhalin-2 project and was to be decommissioned according to time-charter contract.
The Arctic shortcut, the report says, has allowed "substantially save money, energy and time." The passage through the Suez Canal would take about 45 days, while the Yuri Topchev covered the distance along the NSR for 21 days.
A fleet of vessels chartered by Sakhalin Energy includes four PSVs, two high-speed catamarans to transport personnel, a spill response vessel and four harbor tugs. If necessary, the company uses an additional workboat and an icebreaker. The company also chartered five LNG carriers and three oil tankers.
Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. (Sakhalin Energy) is the operator of the Sakhalin-2 project under a Production Sharing Agreement with the Russian Federation. The company was formed in 1994 to develop the Piltun-Astokhskoye oil field and the Lunskoye gas field in the Sea of Okhotsk offshore Sakhalin Island in the Russian Far East. Sakhalin Energy is a unique partnership drawing upon global oil and LNG expertise and experience. Under the shareholding structure of Sakhalin Energy, Gazprom holds 50% plus 1 share, Shell 27.5%, Mitsui 12.5% and Mitsubishi 10%.