Kongsberg Maritime deck machinery selected for Novatek Ice Class Arc7 LNG carriers

Vessels are under construction at South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME).

Russia’s largest natural gas producer, Novatek, has placed an order with Kongsberg Maritime for the supply of electric frequency converter-driven deck machinery for six Ice Class Arc7 LNG carriers, with an option for a further four.

Ordered at South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), the vessels are being chartered by Novatek LNGC and are destined for operation in the waters of northwest Siberia.

Each will be equipped with two combined windlasses and mooring winches capable of handling a 17-tonne anchor with 111mm anchor chain, plus a further seven mooring winches. Designed to operate under extreme ambient temperatures as low as -52°C, the windlasses and mooring winches will also feature a specially-developed modification in the form of an electrically-operated, spring-loaded band brake, as requested by Novatek.

Espen Liset, Kongsberg Maritime SVP Deck Machinery Motion Control, said: “These Ice Class Arc7 carriers are made to navigate winter/spring ice thickness of up to 1.8 meters. Our customized deck machinery system is designed for ease of installation and reliable operation in such harsh environments. Selecting our stainless-steel brake drum surfaces allows consistent smooth operation.”

Kongsberg Maritime will also supply control systems and load monitoring for the winches, with further integration to Kongsberg automation systems available as an option.

“This contract represents an important endorsement of our advanced technologies as well as signposting our future growth,” says Leo Pantazopoulos, SVP Sales & Regional Operations, APAC, Kongsberg Maritime. “Working with Novatek will sharpen our competitive edge in the fast-growing, Russian-owned Arctic market, reinforcing our reputation as a reliable supplier with a provably efficient support infrastructure. I would like to thank our teams for working so well collaboratively, and with such a dedicated sense of purpose, to bring this contract agreement to fruition.”