PAO NOVATEK announced that a steel cutting ceremony took place at the Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex in the Russian Far East for a new Arc7 ice-class LNG tanker to transport LNG from NOVATEK’s Arctic LNG 2 project, implemented jointly with international partners TOTAL, CNPC, CNOOC, Mitsui and JOGMEC. ThenewArc7ice-classtankerwasorderedbySMARTLNG,ajointventurebetween NOVATEK and PAO Sovcomflot. Arctic LNG 2 and SMART LNG had previously signed charter agreements for 14 similar Arc7 LNG carriers to be built at the Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex.

The new Arc7 ice-class tankers are designed to ensure year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route, including its Eastern part, and will have increased icebreaking and maneuvering characteristics as compared to the previous type of Arctic tankers currently used by the Yamal LNG project.

“The construction of the fleet of next generation Arctic ice-class gas carriers at the Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex for Arctic LNG 2 will make it possible to localize technologies for the construction of high-tonnage and high-tech vessels in Russia,” said Evgeniy Ambrosov, NOVATEK’s Deputy Chairman of the Management Board – Director for Marine Operations, Shipping and Logistics. “All Arc7 ice-class LNG carriers ordered by SMART LNG at Zvezda will be registered under the flag of the Russian Federation and will be fully equipped by Russian crews. To properly train the Arctic crews, it is now necessary to use the full potential of the Russian educational system, including the country’s largest maritime educational Center – Maritime State University named after Admiral G.I. Nevelskoy in Vladivostok.”