South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. held a keel laying ceremony on October 26, 2015 of the lead 42, 000 dwt Arctic shuttle oil carrier being built for Russian shipping company PAO Sovcomflot.
All the 42К Arctic Shuttle tankers in the series of six ships will be named after the famous Russian researchers of the Arctic including those who participated in the Great Northern expedition of the 18th century. Sovcomflot is the owner of three tankers in the series.
The new tankers are designed to complete a set of tasks of hydrocarbons transportation from Novoportovskoye field, which is situated in the north of Yamal peninsula, 30 km off the Gulf of Ob coast to the port of Murmansk.
All the tankers are intended for round-the-year operation in the high latitude areas under the temperature of up to – 45 °С.
The ships will be built to the joint class of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) and Lloyds Register.
Technical supervision is being carried out by RS at the shipyard.
The lead tanker is to be delivered to its owner in late June 2016. The completion of the series is scheduled for 2017.