Sovcomflot orders LNG fueled Aframax trio at Russian yard

Sovcomflot's first LNG fueled Aframax, Gargarin Prospect

Russian shipping company Sovcomflot has placed an order at Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex for the construction of three new-generation MR product carriers using LNG as their main fuel. The vessels will be chartered to a subsidiary of Russian natural gas producer Novatek under twenty year time-charter agreements.

Sergey Frank, President and CEO of Sovcomflot, said: “The introduction of ‘green’ technologies for energy shipping is one of the priorities provided for by the development strategy of our company for the period up to 2025. The company already successfully operates a series of the world’s first Aframax-class tankers to use LNG fuel. to operation from 2022 to 2023.”

Igor Tonkovidov, Executive Vice President and CTO/COO of Sovcomflot, said: “We welcome the localization of new civil shipbuilding technologies that envisage the manufacturing of advanced marine equipment in Russia, the operation of which will help reduce the environmental footprint of humanity. I am confident that the serial construction of new-generation LNG-fueled large-capacity vessels at the facilities of Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex will contribute to strengthening the leadership and increasing the competitiveness of Russian shipping companies in the world market.”

Sovcomflot’s current fleet of six LNG-fueled Aframaxes was built at the Hyundai Samho shipyard in South Korea to technical specifications developed by SCF Group’s own engineering center, with the close involvement of Hyundai Heavy Industries and Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex.