Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) has signed an agreement with South Korean yard Samsung Heavy Industries Co. LTD on design approval and survey under construction of a new series of 42 000 dwt Arctic shuttle oil carriers (project 42К Arctic Shuttle Tanker), RS says in its press release.
The new tankers are designed to complete a set of tasks of hydrocarbons transportation from Novoportovskoye field, which is situated in the north of Yamal peninsula, 30 km off the Gulf of Ob coast. The propulsion unit with two Azipod azimuth thrusters and a special hull shape will enable the ships to operate year-round in harsh Arctic conditions.
Main Particulars: Length – 232 m, Breadth – 34 m, Draught – 9.5 m.
The construction is to begin in April 2015. The series, comprising six ships will be constructed to dual RS / LR class. Class notation: KM✪ Arc7 AUT1-ICS OMBO LI CCO ECO-S BWM BLS-SPM Oil tanker (ESP) CSR. It is planned to complete the construction at the end of 2017.
Russian Maritime Register of Shipping is a recognised leader in the development of safety standards for ice class ships. Traditionally, about 90% of the newbuildings to the RS class are ice-strengthened. Currently, 60 ships of ice classes Arc4 and above and capable of navigation in the Arctic seas are under construction to RS class.
Today, RS fleet comprises of approximately 3350 ice class ships, among them modern Russian icebreakers (including nuclear 60 MW icebreakers), Arctic shuttle tankers, fixed ice-resistant offshore platforms, semi-submersible drilling units and other offshore field development facilities, including subsea pipelines.
RS develops and systematically enhances its requirements with due regard to the up-to-date scientific and technical achievements with a focus on environmental pollution prevention This is especially relevant to the fragile Arctic ecosystems. The RS normative base covers all the range of ships and offshore development facilities during their full lifecycle: design, construction, maritime operations, and service. Since 1960-s RS surveyors have classified almost 8000 ice class ships.