In 2008, Sovcomflot OJSC plans to start operation of three Baltimax ice-class (1A) 160,000-dwt tankers in the port of Primorsk (Leningrad region), PortNews IAA learnt at an international conference Arctic Shipping held in St. Petersburg. Sergei Frank, Director General of Sovcomflot told journalists the company has already sent its new 162,000-dwt tanker Vladimir Tikhonov (built in 2006 in S. Korea) to Primorsk. In 2007, similar tanker, Aleksei Kosygin, is to be finalized in S. Korea. “Besides, we have chartered a similar tanker from PRISCO,” Frank says.
According to Frank, new vessels had been designed so that they could pass Danish straights, which is not possible for standard tankers with a displacement exceeding 120 thou tons. “It is our own design and there are no similar vessels in the world today,” Frank says. According to him the vessels’ draft is less with enlarged width of the hulls.
Frank also tells the company is developing the project on construction of vessels with the width of 60 meters to be deployed at the Baltic Sea. “Their cargo capacity is to reach 240 thou tons. Such tankers re to built by 2010-2011.”