The deficit of nuclear-powered icebreakers on the Northern Sea Route will be compensated by icebreakers powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), Oleg Darbinyan, Fleet Maintenance Director, Atomflot, said at 2nd LNG Fleet and LNG Bunker in Russia Conference organized by IAA PortNews.
According to him, a surge of cargo flow on the Northern Sea Route is expected between 2019 and 2025 with implementation of ambitious oil & gas projects in the Russian sector of the Arctic. By 2030, NSR cargo flow is forecasted to reach 115 million tonnes per year.
“Cargo transportation by the Northern Sea Route is already as high as 11 million tonnes. In 2018, it is to reach 16-18 million tonnes, in 2019 - 25 million tonnes. So, the forecast of NSR throughput growth seem to hold up”, said Oleg Darbinyan.
Both nuclear-powered and LNG-powered icebreakers are planned for construction to ensure functioning of projects in Russia’s Arctic.
Oleg Darbinyan explained that a series of four LNG-powered icebreakers was opted because their construction is faster and cheaper.
A concept of Aker ARC 123 design is ready with requests submitted to Russian shipyards able to perform such an order: Vyborg Shipyard, Admiralteiskie Verfi, Baltiysky Zavod and Zvezda. The construction of the first LNG-powered icebreaker is to commence in 2019 with the delivery scheduled for 2023.
“LNG-powered icebreakers are to be operated in the mouth of the Ob river and other Siberian rivers. They will focus on support of the current and future projects of NOVATEK – Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG as well as exports of VostokUgol’s coal”, explained Oleg Darbinyan.
Line icebreaker of Aker ARC 123 design will have a propulsion power of 40 MW, length of 154.8 meters, width of 31.4 meters, waterline draft of 9.0 meters. The ship will be equipped with a dual-fuel power plant (diesel fuel and LNG) with total power of 55 MW. With its LNG tanks of 8,300 cbm in capacity the icebreaker will have an endurance of 30 days between bunkering operations. Capacity of diesel fuel tanks will be 4,500 cbm.
The 2nd LNG Fleet and LNG Bunker in Russia Conference was successfully held in Moscow on October 24, 2018. More than 100 Russian and foreign experts have taken part in conference work.
The event was organized by the PortNews Media Group and Krylov State Research Centre. The Conference was supported by the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade and Rosmorrechflot with Gazpromneft Marine Bunker LLC as General Sponsor and Damen Shipyards Group as Sponsor of the event. The Conference Partner was Sovcomflot.