LNG a big part of plans for Russia’s Zvezda shipyard

Agreement with Hyundai Samho paves way for Zvezda production to include LNG fueled Aframax tankers

JUNE 5, 2017 — Russian energy giant Rosneft reports that two significant agreements have now been signed relating to development of the Zvezda shipbuilding complex at Bolshoy Kamen in the Russian Far East. One is between Rosneft and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. (HSHI) while the other is between the Zvezda shipbuilding complex and France’s Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT).

Last month, Hyundai Samho and the Zvezda shipbuilding complex established an engineering and project managementy joint venture, Zvezda-Hyundai and this latest agreement establishes the technical support that Hyundai Samho will provide the JV for the design and construction of Aframax type tankers, including those capable of running on LNG.

The agreement with GTT relates to the design and manufacture of cargo containment systems for LNG carriers and, according to Rosneft, “envisages development of liquefied gas-carrier building technologies unique for the Russian Federation.”

Building liquefied gas-carriers is one of priority areas of the Zvezda Shipyard production program, notes Rosneft, which says that liquefied gas carrier vessels may be in demand for a number of projects to develop offshore fields, as well as for transportation of liquefied natural gas produced in the Russian Federation.