On May 23–24 2019 XVIII Annual Sovcomflot Group Business Partners Meeting was held in Moscow, the company says in a press release.
The conference was attended by more than 200 guests representing major Russian and international oil and gas companies, Russian ministries and governmental agencies, investment and financial institutions, insurance and law firms, and expert organizations.
The speakers at the conference plenary session were Yevgeny Ditrich, Russia's Minister of Transport, Pavel Sorokin, Russia's Deputy Minister of Energy, Vyacheslav Ruksha, Deputy Director General, Director for the Northern Sea Route Directorate of Rosatom Group, Sergey Frank, President and CEO of Sovcomflot, Eduard Gudkov, Deputy Chairman of NOVATEK Management Board, among others.
Reports by the following industry experts were presented during the event: Jarand Rystad, General Director of Rystad Energy, Alexandre Duff, Head of Tanker Research at Howe Robinson Partners, Paul Taylor, Managing Director, Global Head of LNG Shipping and Offshore, Société Générale London, Jan Kvålsvold, Director of Marketing and Business Development of Det Norske Veritas, and others.
The plenary session was opened with an address by Igor Levitin, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation, which was read by President and CEO of Sovcomflot Sergey Frank: "At the core of long-term successful activity of the SCF Group on the open competitive market of overseas transportation has always been the ability to find responses to the challenges of the market and clients – major oil and gas companies, as well as the skill to forge mutually beneficial and efficient cooperation with our partners – leading enterprises, whose executives are attending today in this hall."
The welcome speech of Maxim Akimov, Deputy Chairman of the RF Government, was read by Russia's Minister of Transport Yevgeny Ditrikh. "Today the pride of place in the list of national priorities within the framework of integrated work on transport infrastructure advancement goes to the objective of increasing freight traffic in the Northern Sea Route water basin up to 80 million tonnes by 2025. Sovcomflot is one of the global leaders in the field of development and implementation of advanced technologies and innovations in the sea transportation industry. The maritime transport and logistic solutions of Sovcomflot have become the blueprint for the transport components of such major industrial projects as Yamal LNG and Novy Port."
The speech also emphasized the leadership of Sovcomflot in development of "green" technologies aimed at improving the environmental safety of shipping. "The company has not only realized a project to commission a series of the first world natural gas motor fuel (LNG) driven Aframax tankers, but also actively promotes the transfer of "green" technologies to Russia, and places orders to build a large-capacity fleet of the new generation at the Zvezda Shipbuilding Plant." In his speech, Yevgeny Ditrikh emphasized the great contribution of Sovcomflot in the support of professional maritime education and development of naval science.
The speech by Alexander Novak, Russia's Minister of Energy, was read by his deputy, Pavel Sorokin. "Starting from 2006, Sovcomflot has been a participant in all major oil and gas projects with a maritime component that are successfully in progress in the regions of severe climatic and ice conditions – the Russian Arctic, and the Far East, including such projects as Sakhalin-1, Sakhalin-2, Varandey, Prirazlomnoye, Novy Port, and Yamal LNG. During these years, within the frameworks of these projects Sovcomflot vessels have safely transported approximately 250 million tonnes of crude oil, which nearly corresponds to the RF annual export volume, and more than 77 million cubic meters of liquefied gas." The speech underlined that the unique experience of the fleet operation accumulated in severe ice conditions, and also with the use of advanced technologies and engineering solutions, allows PAO Sovcomflot to confidently maintain its position of absolute leader in the field of sea transportation under the icy conditions of Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. In his address, Pavel Sorokin emphasized the leadership of Sovcomflot in the sphere of transferring the fleet to the cleaner-burning LNG fuel, whose role in the global energy system is growing year by year.
In his speech, Sergey Frank, President and CEO of Sovcomflot, underlined that the company will continue increasing the fleet's share in provision of services for major oil and gas projects. "By 2025 the number of industrial vessels will constitute more than half the fleet, and the revenue from their operation – more than two thirds of the company's consolidated revenues." – said Sergey Frank. On behalf of the Sovcomflot Group he expressed gratitude to its clients and partners for the effective support of and participation in the implementation of the company's plans.
As part of the conference celebrations, an awards ceremony was held to give prizes to the company's employees and partners. Ibrahim Sharaf, President of Sharaf Group (UAE), was awarded the badge of honour "Traditions and Standards" of the Russian Chamber of Shipping for a major contribution to the development of mutually beneficial cooperation with Russian shipping companies. Igor Krasnokutskiy, Adviser to the Chief of Directorate of Insurance and Complaint Management of SCF Management Services (Cyprus), and John Salmon, Deputy Managing Director of Sovcomflot UK, were awarded corporate prizes of the Sovcomflot Group for long-term dedicated work and substantial contributions to the company's development.
Sovcomflot (SCF Group) is one of the world's leading energy shipping companies, specialising in the transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied gas, as well as the servicing of offshore oil and gas exploration and production. The company’s fleet includes 146 vessels with a total deadweight of over 12.7 million tonnes. Over 80 vessels have an ice class.
Sovcomflot is involved in servicing large oil and gas projects in Russia and around the world: Sakhalin-1; Sakhalin-2; Varandey; Prirazlomnoye; Novy Port; Yamal LNG, and Tangguh (Indonesia). The company is headquartered in Saint Petersburg, with offices in Moscow, Novorossiysk, Murmansk, Vladivostok, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, London, Limassol, and Dubai.