Keel laying ceremony held for gas carrier Sibur Tobol ordered by Sovcomflot (photo)
On 22 April, 2013, a keel laying ceremony took place at the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co.Ltd. yard in South Korea for the second gas carrier ordered by Sovcomflot Group for operations under an agreement with petrochemical holding SIBUR, Sovcomflot states in its press release.
In March, 2012, Russia’s leading shipping company Sovcomflot and petrochemical holding SIBUR signed a long-term agreement on the charter of two semirefrigerator gas carriers for the regular year-round transportation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). SIBUR plans to start exporting shipments of LPG in 2013 via its own terminal at the sea port of Ust-Luga.
The new vessels are being built under the supervision of two classification societies – Lloyd’s Register (LR) and the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) – and have been designed in line with all relevant international requirements and standards. Their cargo-pumping system consists of 4 type-C tanks with a combined capacity of 20,600m³, designed to transport cargo under a pressure of 540kPa. The lead ship Sibur Voronezh is due to be completed and delivered in mid July 2013, the second gas carrier Sibur Tobol is due to be completed in September 2013.
The new gas carriers have a cargo capacity of 20,600m³ and were designed in collaboration with SCF Group experts according to SIBUR requirements. These vessels are equipped with the latest technological advances in the shipbuilding industry and have a range of competitive advantages over other existing ships of their class. These ships are specially designed to be fitted with a ballast water management system – a compulsory requirement for vessels from the end of 2013. The structural design of the vessels includes a reinforced hull for year-round operations in the harsh climatic conditions of the North Atlantic. These robust vessels will have an active service life of 25 years, although this figure will significantly increase if they are used in normal climatic conditions. The design of these 1B ice class vessels (Ice3 in the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping) will allow them to operate effectively in the low temperatures of the Baltic Sea during their winter passages.
Technical characteristics of the vessel: Length: 159m, Beam size: 25.60m, Depth: 16.40m, Estimated draught: 10.90m, Deadweight: 22,760 tonnes, Propulsion engine power: 7,780kw
SCF gas carrier fleet includes eight vessels: six LNG (liquefied natural gas) carriers and two LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) carriers. These ships are in operation on long-term contracts with well-known gas companies, such as: Sakhalin Energy, Shell, Gas Natural, Transammonia, Geogas and others. SCF Group’s shipbuilding programme provides for the expansion of its gas carrier fleet to include an additional six vessels. Four LPG tankers and two LNG carriers are currently under construction. All vessels are already engaged in operations according to long-term agreements with the world’s largest gas companies – Gazprom Global LNG, Shell and SIBUR. SCF’s development strategy provides for the further expansion of the company’s LPG shipping operations, including provision for the development of new industrial projects in Russia’s Arctic north. The company’s longstanding experience of oil & gas shipping in challenging icy conditions means SCF can offer effective year-round LNG transportation solutions for even the most complex projects.