Russian shipping company Sovcomflot and Russian oil major Gazprom Neft successfully carried out the first ever bunkering of a marine vessel with liquified natural gas (LNG) in the history of Russian transport industry, said Sovcomflot on Friday (23 September).
Gazprom Neft’s bunker vessel Dmitry Mendeelev bunkered Sovcomflot’s green series tanker Prospekt Koroleva in the Port of Ust-Luga.
The tanker took on board 1,432 cubic meters (m3) of LNG fuel during the bunkering operation that lasted four hours.
The Dmitry Mendeleev is Russia’s first dedicated LNG bunkering vessel. Its cargo capacity is 5800 m3 of LNG. The ship was designed taking into account the peculiarities of the Gulf of Finland and is capable of independent navigation in first-year ice up to 0.8 metres thick.
In September 2021, Sovcomflot and Gazprom Neft signed an agreement on cooperation in the development of innovative technologies and the use of marine fuels with a low carbon footprint in maritime transport.
Sovcomflot began work on introducing LNG as the main fuel for large-capacity tankers in 2015. In 2018, Sovcomflot launched the world’s first Aframax LNG-fuelled tankers (green series) in the world. These vessels have repeatedly participated in the opening of new LNG bunkering points in regions significant for maritime trade. At the moment, under the order of Sovcomflot, SSK Zvezda is building five oil and oil product tankers designed to use LNG as the main fuel.
Igor Tonkovidov , CEO – Chairman of the Management Board of PAO Sovcomflot, said: “We welcome the efforts of Gazprom Neft to develop the infrastructure for bunkering ships with low-carbon fuel in Russia. Sovcomflot is consistently working to reduce emissions from the operation of its ships. The company was one of the first in the world to start using LNG as a fuel for large-tonnage tankers. We are pleased to see Gazprom Neft as a partner, cooperation with which helps to reduce the carbon footprint of maritime cargo transportation and, as a result, reduce the anthropogenic impact on the ecosystems of marine waters and coastal regions.”
Anatoly Cherner , Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of PJSC Gazprom Neft, said: “In its long-term development strategy for the bunkering business, Gazprom Neft relies on marine fuels with a low carbon footprint. Liquefied natural gas has a high market potential due to its environmental and performance characteristics. The first side-to-side refuelling with liquefied natural gas we made in Russia actually kick-starts the development of a new fuel segment in the domestic shipping industry.”
Photo credit: Sovcomflot
Published: 27 September, 2022
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