Zvezda Shipyard Awarded International Licence for the Construction of LNG Carriers
The Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex has become the first Russian shipyard that was awarded an international licence to build LNG carriers with a membrane storage system. The shipbuilding complex has signed a technical assistance and licencing agreement (TALA) with the French engineering company Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT), specializing in the development and licencing of the construction of cryogenic membrane systems for liquefied gas transportation and storage. A prototype LNG tank was manufactured at the Zvezda Shipyard as part of the preparatory work for the construction of gas carrier vessels. The work was completed on time with all technological standards observed, thereby confirming the high competencies of the engineering staff of the Zvezda Shipyard Complex.
The construction of gas carrier vessels is one of the most technologically complex processes in the global shipbuilding industry. The Zvezda Shipyard Complex implements these projects with the equipment unique to Russian shipyards and with advanced world-class technologies. Start of production of this type of vessels, a unique event for Russian shipyards, is one of the priority areas of the production programme of the Zvezda Shipyard.
The first gas carrier vessels will be built at the Zvezda shipyard for the benefit of PJSC Novatek and the Arctic LNG-2 project. VEB.RF will provide funding for the construction of new ships. The Zvezda Shipyard and the companies of the VEB.RF group signed contracts for the construction of five Arc7 ice-class gas carrier vessels for liquefied gas transportation in late 2019--early 2020. These are the first ships of a series of 15 vessels planned for deployment at the Zvezda Shipyard. The design documentation is currently being developed, with the construction of the first gas carrier scheduled to start by the end of 2020.
The Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex is constructed by the Rosneft-led Consortium upon the instruction of President of Russia Vladimir Putin. The Shipyard’s order portfolio amounts to 39 vessels (59 vessels including options) at the moment. The Shipyard’s pilot throughput is provided for by Rosneft that placed an order for 28 vessels. Zvezda’s product line will include vessels of up to 350,000 tonnes displacement, components of marine platforms, ice-class vessels, commercial vessels for cargo transportation, specialty vessels, and other types of marine equipment of any complexity, characteristics and purposes, including those that had not previously been produced in Russia due to the lack of required launching and hydraulic structures.
Note for Editors:
The gas carrier’s design allows it to individually pull through the ice of up to 2.1 metres thick. The capacity of the gas carrier’s power station is 45 MW which is comparable to the capacity of a nuclear icebreaker. The length of the vessel is 300 m, width 48.8 m, capacity of LNG cargo tanks 172,600 m3. These vessels feature increased environmental safety; in particular, they use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as their primary fuel.
For the first time in history, the construction of the vessel of this type will be carried out by a Russian shipyard. It should be noted that the Russian Federation had not ever manufactured such vessels and had been purchasing them abroad for many years.
In May 2020, the first Aframax tanker operating on NGV fuel was launched from the slipway.
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July 8, 2020