Leading Arctic tanker specialist Sovcomflot presented a report on its experiences of providing transport for major projects in the Arctic region to the 6th International Meeting of the Arctic Council held on 30 Aug – 1 Sept. The Council is an intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States, local indigenous communities, and other inhabitants of this vast region, Sovcomflot says in a press release.
As a member of the Russian delegation, Mikhail Suslin, Sovcomflot’s Vice-President and the head of its Safety and Quality Department, told the meeting of government representatives from 13 countries that thanks to major energy projects in the Russian Arctic, the role of the Northern Sea Route will continuously increase. The success of the these projects, including Varandey, Prirazlomnoye, Yamal LNG, and Novy Port, was made possible by the availability of modern energy shipping solutions, pioneered in Russia by Sovcomflot, that allow oil and gas extracted from the region to be transported safely, securely, and efficiently.
The report, “Secure and efficient transport solutions – key execution element of major projects in the Arctic Region. Practical experience of Sovcomflot for 2005-2016” highlighted the growth of shipping activity in the near future. Mr Suslin paid extra attention to the issue of navigation safety in polar latitudes and environmental protection in the Arctic region.
The meeting took place aboard the Russian nuclear icebreaker 50 Years of Victory which travelled from Anadyr (the Bering Sea) to Pevek (the East Siberian Sea).
At the Bering Strait participants of the international meeting also had the opportunity to view Sovcomflot’s new Arctic shuttle tankerShturman Albanov which has been designed for crude oil transportation from Novoportovskoye field (project operator – Gazprom Neft). This sophisticated ship can make large-capacity oil shipments in the shallow Gulf of Ob (the Kara Sea) on a year-round basis. The tanker is currently following the Northern Sea Route westwards to the place of her first shipment, the Arctic Gate, the offshore oil terminal located in the Gulf of Ob.
The meeting included representative from all the state-members of the Arctic Council (Russia, Denmark, Iceland, Canada, Norway, United States of America, Finland, Sweden) and a number of observer states (People's Republic of China, India, Korea, Singapore) sent their official representatives.
PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group) is one of the world's leading shipping companies, specialising in the transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied gas, as well as servicing offshore upstream oil and gas installations and equipment. The Group’s fleet comprises 147 vessels with a total deadweight of over 12.8 million tonnes. The company is registered in St. Petersburg with offices in Moscow, Novorossiysk, Murmansk, Vladivostok, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, London, Limassol, and Dubai.
The Group offers a wide range of vessels in the market segments most demanded by major Russian oil and gas companies. With its own technical development and unique approach to advanced technologies, Sovcomflot has the ability to meet the most demanding customer requirements, providing effective transportation for oil & gas companies.