RUSSIA's natural gas giant Novatek has
taken delivery of the last of 15 ice-breaking Arc7 LNG carriers
to export gas from the Yamal Peninsula, reports High North
News of Bodo, Norway.
With the opening of the Novatek's next project, Arctic LNG
2, just three years away, the company is looking for the timely construction of
an additional 15 Arc7 LNG carriers.
While the original vessels were constructed by South
Korean Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME), China aims to
secure contracts for this next batch of vessels. The country's largest
shipyard, Hudong Zhonghua that is a subsidiary of the China
Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, has submitted a bid for up to 10
vessels with Novatek looking abroad to build new Arc7 vessels.
As part of Russia's policy to reinvigorate domestic
shipbuilding activities, Novatek had originally intended to procure all 15
vessels for Arctic LNG 2 from the Zvezda shipyard located in Russia's Far East
near Vladivostok.
The shipyard entered into a partnership with Samsung
Heavy Industries for the transfer of technology as Zvezda has little
experience constructing ice-capable carriers. However, despite Samsung's
assistance, concerns remain about Zvezda's ability to deliver the vessels on
time.
Novatek has now requested exemption from having to contract
with a domestic shipyard and asked permission for 10 out of 15 vessels to be
built by Chinese or South Korean shipyards.
Source : HKSG.
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