SCF Group took part in the 13th International Forum and Exhibition ‘Transport of Russia’, which was held on 19-21 November in Moscow. These events are organised annually by the Russia’s Ministry of Transport as part of Transport Week. This year, these events were dedicated to celebrating the Ministry's 210th anniversary.
Sovcomflot's exposition was visited by Kitack Lim, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). He was met by Sergey Frank, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sovcomflot and Igor Tonkovidov, President and CEO of Sovcomflot, as well as Alexey Klyavin, President of the Russian Chamber of Shipping.
One of the key issues on the IMO's agenda is mitigating the impact of global shipping on the environment. The Agency has adopted new, stringent conventional limits for the sulphur content in marine fuels, capping it at 0.5 per cent from 2020 onwards. By 2050, the IMO is also set to reduce permitted CO2 emissions by 50 per cent.
Representatives of Sovcomflot presented the company's successful ‘green shipping’ track record to Mr Lim. By using cleaner-burning LNG fuel, instead of heavy fuel oil, Sovcomflot’s six ‘Green Funnel’ tankers have reduced their CO2 emissions by 11,400 tonnes between October 2018 and November 2019. The data accumulated by Sovcomflot from operating these tankers shows that using LNG as a primary fuel achieves a 30 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions, a 94 per cent reduction in nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions, and 100 per cent reduction in both sulphur oxide (SOx) and particulate matter emissions. Sovcomflot’s representatives emphasised that LNG has good prospects for adoption as a primary fuel for vessels operating in the Arctic.
As part of the Forum Evgeny Ditrich, the Russian Minister of Transport, presented Sergey Frank with a merit badge ‘For Distinguished Labour and Contribution’, the Ministry's highest award. Some 40 employees of SCF Group, including captains and crew members, were presented awards on the occasion of the ministry's anniversary.
Sovcomflot representatives also took part in various Forum business programme events focused on transportation security and the development of a digital infrastructure for transportation, amongst other things.
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 147 vessels with a total deadweight of over 12.8 million tonnes. More than 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.
Over the years, Sovcomflot has consistently been among the key participants in Transport of Russia and regularly sponsors these events.