LNG-powered icebreakers for the Arctic can be built with involvement of foreign contractors, Vyacheslav Ruksha, Deputy General Director of Rosatom - Director of the Northern Sea Route Directorate, told journalists at the 11th International Forum “Arctic: Today and the Future” held in Saint-Petersburg. According to him, those icebreakers will be deployed for a shorter haul allowing to perform technical works in the Gulf of Ob and in the Yenisei Bay.
“If we fail to start quickly and efficiently ... we will look into having them built in the foreign market with an eye on further establishment of local production”, said Vyacheslav Ruksha.
The construction of icebreakers running on LNG has been under discussion from 2017. There was a plan to order four ships for operation in the Kara Sea and in the Gulf of Ob. It was Atomflot to initiate the project. The design was developed by Aker Arctic Technology.
Rosatom says at least six icebreakers including four LNG-powered ones should be built by 2030. According to earlier statements, a decision on commercial construction of three/four icebreakers fueled by LNG was expected by December of the current year. Under actual operation of Atomflot, they are supposed to replace nuclear-powered icebreakers involved under the projects of Gazprom Neft, Nornickel and NOVATEK.
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