Page 11 - GLNG Week 50 2020

GLNG COMMENTARY GLNG

Russia near to launching

first LNG bunkering vessel

Russia wants to gain a slice of the LNG bunkering market, leveraging

its growing status as a leading LNG producer

PIPELINES & RUSSIA will soon become another supplier in on the bunkering vessel. The ship will conduct
TRANSPORT the growing market for ship-to-ship LNG bun- ship-to-ship bunkering primarily in the Baltic
kering in Europe, with construction of its first Sea starting next year, equipped with two 2,900
WHAT: bunkering vessel now almost complete. cubic metre storage tanks.
Gazprom Neft has almost LNG has grown in popularity as a bunker- The vessel is 100 metres in length and 19
completed Russia’s first ing fuel in recent years, in large part thanks to metres in depth. It has an Arc4 ice-class clas-
LNG bunkering vessel. stricter International Maritime Organisation sification, meaning it can navigate through ice
(IMO) rules on the sulphur content in ship- up to a year old or 80 centimetres thick without
WHY: ping fuel. This is especially true in the Baltic Sea support. Its storage tanks were manufactured
The company wants a region, where many countries have extensive using a nickel-iron-based alloy, with high dura-
position in the growing access to natural gas. bility and resistance to ultra-low temperatures.
market for LNG bunkering Russia is eager to gain a slice of this market, This means that the LNG can be stored safely at
in northern Europe. leveraging its growing status as a leading LNG temperatures as low as -165 degrees Celsius. It
producer. Private player Novatek already offers will be able to refuel ships in eight hours.
WHAT NEXT: bunkering services at its 660,000 tonne per year Pipe-fitting and installation of cargo-han-
Long-term prospects (tpy) in Vysotsk on the Baltic Sea. But Gazprom dling equipment is ongoing, and the next step
for LNG bunkering Neft, the oil-exporting arm of Gazprom, wants will be the fitting of its cargo deck.
depend greatly on how to expand into LNG bunkering markets beyond “The best international technologies – both
shipowners choose to Russia, building on its existing global maritime in shipbuilding and in LNG storage and trans-
address their emissions. refuelling operations. portation – are being used on Russia’s first LNG
Gazprom Neft announced on December 11 bunkering project,” Gazprom Neft said. “70%
that tanks and other cryogenic equipment for of key construction works are now complete:
LNG transport and storage had been installed the ship’s hull has been assembled, and energy

Week 50 18•December•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P11