LNG carriers are completing the Northern Sea Route passage
PAO NOVATEK announced that two Arc7 ice-class LNG tankers “Vladimir Rusanov” and “Eduard Toll” are completing the Northern Sea Route passage via the Eastern direction. The “Vladimir Rusanov” passed the Northern Sea Route and arrived at the Bering Strait, while the “Eduard Toll” entered open water in the Chukchi Sea. Both tankers were dispatched from the port of Sabetta loaded with cargos of LNG produced by the Company’s Yamal LNG project and are now heading towards the Chinese port of Jiangsu Rudong. The ice-covered part of the route was passed in only 9 days with no ice-breaking support, thus confirming the outstanding ice-breaking capabilities of the Arc7 ice-class vessels.
NOVATEK’s Chairman of Management Board Leonid Mikhelson noted: "We are happy that the Arc7 ice-class tankers with LNG produced by our Yamal LNG project opened this year’s summer navigational period on the Northern Sea Route. These shipments were the first voyages with Russian LNG via the Northern Sea Route without escort of an icebreaker. Moreover, they mark the start of regular LNG shipments via the Northern Sea Route, which was only made possible due to the unique characteristics of ice-class LNG carriers developed for NOVATEK to serve the Arctic projects”.
PAO NOVATEK is one of the largest independent natural gas producers in Russia. Founded in 1994, the Company is engaged in the exploration, production, processing and marketing of natural gas and liquid hydrocarbons. The Company’s upstream activities are concentrated mainly in the prolific Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Region, which is the world’s largest natural gas producing area and accounts for approximately 80% of Russia’s natural gas production and approximately 15% of the world’s gas production. NOVATEK is a public joint stock company established under the laws of the Russian Federation. The Company’s shares are listed in Russia on Moscow Exchange (MOEX) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE) under the ticker symbol «NVTK».
