Arctech to build an icebreaking supply vessel for Sovcomflot
Arctech Helsinki Shipyard has been awarded a contract to build an icebreaking supply vessel for the Russia´s largest shipping company Sovcomflot. The new vessel will be built for the North East Sakhalin Offshore region oil and gas field where she will be used as a platform supply vessel for Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. (SEIC). The total value of the order is about EUR 100 million, the company said in its press release.
The project will start immediately and the vessel will be delivered to the client in June 2016. The vessel brings together the very latest innovations in arctic shipbuilding science and technology and is a further developed version of the two multifunctional icebreaking supply vessels Vitus Bering and Aleksey Chirikov delivered for Sovcomflot in 2012 and 2013. The new icebreaking supply vessel measures 100 m in length and 21 m in breadth. The six main diesel generator sets have the total power of about 20 000 kW and the propulsion power of 13 000 kW.
“This order is an excellent continuation for the series of icebreaking multipurpose vessels, that Arctech has built in past few years. With this order Arctech confirms its position as leading builder of arctic offshore vessels”, says Esko Mustamäki, Managing Director of Arctech Helsinki Shipyard.
The vessel is designed for extreme environmental conditions in the Sakhalin area. The main duty of the vessel is to supply between land bases and the offshore drilling and production sites. The vessel will be able to safely convey and transfer cargo on deck and bulk cargo underdeck in all seasons. The vessel will also be operating in thick drifting ice for ice management and icebreaking duties in temperatures as cold as minus 35 C°. The icebreaking capability of the vessel is extremely high, the vessel is able to proceed independently in 1.5 meter thick ice. The vessel will be outfitted for emergency evacuation, rescue and fire fighting operations, oil spill response and platform overboard working and helicopter operations. The vessel can also act as diving support vessel including a moon pool feature.
Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Inc. specializes in arctic shipbuilding technology, e.g. building icebreakers and other arctic offshore and special vessels. The shipyard is a forerunner in developing and applying technological innovations and has almost 150 years’ experience in shipbuilding. Arctech employs approximately 400 shipbuilders.
Sovcomflot Group (SCF) is a major Russian shipping company, one of the world’s leading in hydrocarbons transportation, seismic and geological surveys and offshore production servicing. The company owns and charters fleet of 157 vessels specialising in transportation of hydrocarbons from areas with harsh ice conditions. Over fifty vessels are ice-class ships. Sovcomflot has been engaged in maintenance of major power projects in Russia and abroad, including Sakhalin-1, Sakhalin-2, Prirazlomnoye, Varandey, Tangguh, Escobar and Peregrino.
Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. (Sakhalin Energy) is the operator of Sakhalin-2, one of the world’s largest integrated oil and gas projects, which has developed major infrastructure for hydrocarbon production, transportation and processing. The Company exports crude oil produced in the Sea of Okhotsk and LNG produced at Russia’s first LNG plant built by Sakhalin Energy in the south of Sakhalin. The Company’s shareholders are Gazprom (50% + 1 share), Royal Dutch Shell (27.5% -1 share), Mitsui and Co. Ltd. (12.5%) and Mitsubishi Corporation (10%).