Page 13 - FSUOGM Week 31

FSUOGM PIPELINES & TRANSPORT FSUOGM

Ice-breaking LNG carrier reaches

Japan in industry first

JAPAN MITSUI OSK Lines (MOL) said this week that distance of 13,700 nautical miles (25,372 km). At
the ice-breaking Vladimir Rusanov LNG carrier, an average speed of 15 knots, that distance can be
The vessel came from which it owns and operates jointly with China covered in 38 days.
Yamal LNG. COSCO Shipping, reached the LNG terminal in MOL noted that when the Vladimir Rusanov
Ohgishima, Tokyo Bay, on July 23. This marks was navigating the NSR, some ice still remained,
the first time an ice-breaking LNG carrier has particularly in the East Bering Sea. The vessel
called in Japan, and also the first time LNG has either avoided sailing through the areas of ice or
been delivered to the country via the Northern conducted ice-breaking navigation in these areas,
Sea Route (NSR). which resulted in roughly seven days of navigation
The Vladimir Rusanov serves the Yamal from the port at Sabetta to the Bering Strait.
LNG terminal in Sabetta, Russia. MOL said the The shipping company noted that the navi-
ship had departed Sabetta on June 29, sailing gation distance via the NSR being roughly 65%
along the NSR via the Kara, Laptev, East Bering shorter than via the Suez Canal also contributed
and Chukchi seas, as well as the Bering Strait. to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
According to MOL’s press release, sailing via the from vessels using the route.
NSR – which can be used in the summer when The Vladimir Rusanov is an Arc 7 ice-class
the ice melts – involves a distance of 4,900 nau- LNG tanker, with the capacity to hold 172,000
tical miles (9,075 km). A vessel travelling at an cubic metres of LNG, that has been in oper-
average speed of 15 knots can cover this route ation since 2018. It delivered the cargo to
in 14 days. By contrast, the winter route involves the Ohgishima LNG terminal under a spot
sailing via the Suez Canal, which involves a contract.™

Russia cleared to work on Nord Stream 2

RUSSIA RUSSIA'S natural gas pipeline to Germany, Nord event Russia wants to."
Stream 2, will be able to resume its construction While the addition to the CATSAA list opens
US has vowed to thwart on August 3, as the previous permission granted up any company participating in the construc-
the project. by Danish regulators to anchor pipelaying vessels tion of these two projects to potential sanctions,
will take effect, Vedomosti and Tass reported on Pompeo admitted that Germany is not in agree-
July 31 citing the Danish Energy Agency (DEA). ment with the US assessment of the dangers of
As reported by bne IntelliNews, DEA granted the pipelines and that “additional tools” would
Nord Stream AG the permit on July 6, which be needed to more effectively stop these projects.
would allow the construction of the 1,230-km "Given the advanced stage of construction
Nord Stream 2 to finish, with just a 120-km sec- on both projects, we agree that even CAATSA
tion in Danish waters left to complete. (Countering America's Adversaries Through
On August 3 the four-week appeal window Sanctions Act) could not stop Nord Stream 2 at
for the decision will expire, clearing the way to this point, although it might delay completion of
resuming the construction work. onshore connections for Line-2 of TurkStream
In the meantime, the US is maintaining pres- through Eastern Europe to the Baumgarten Hub
sure and tough rhetoric on Nord Steam 2 and the in Austria," BCS Global Markets commented on
pipeline to Turkey, TurkStream. July 31.
Tass reported on July 30 that US President Nord Stream 2 is now anticipated to come on
Donald Trump has added natural gas giant's stream in early 2021, Russian officials have said,
Gazprom two new European export pipelines to more than a year behind schedule. It will flow up
the CAATSA sanctions list. The announcement to 55bn cubic metres of gas to Germany, helping
was made by US Secretary of State Mike Pom- Gazprom reduce gas flows via Ukraine.
peo, speaking to the US Senate Foreign Relations As followed by bne IntelliNews, the physical
Committee. completion of the pipeline is only one challenge
"We will do everything we can to make sure that Gazprom is facing. The EU has legislated
that that pipeline doesn't threaten Europe," Pom- to apply its third energy package to the pipe-
peo told a senate hearing on July 30, adding: "We line, meaning Gazprom may have to divest the
want Europe to have real, secure, stable, safe pipeline and offered its flow capacity to third
energy resources that cannot be turned off in the parties.™

Week 31 05•August•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P13