ABB inks diagnostics deal for SCF’s Arctic LNG tanker

ABB has signed a contract to support icebreaking LNG carrier Christophe de Margerie during its transit of the Northern Sea Route.

ABB supported the vessel with remote diagnostics services for increased safety and performance as the vessel completed the transit of the Northern Sea Route, bound for China with Yamal LNG cargo two months earlier than usual.

The icebreaking liquified natural gas (LNG) carrier Christophe de Margerie will now have round-the-clock remote support, ABB said in its statement.

In May, Christophe de Margerie completed an eastbound journey across the Northern Sea Route two months earlier than usual, to deliver liquefied gas from the Yamal LNG industrial complex to China.

The ARC7 ice-class tanker was the first merchant vessel to cross the full length of the Northern Sea Route without icebreaker assistance in 2017.

Like her sister ships servicing Yamal LNG, the 172,600-cbm vessel is equipped with three of the largest Azipod propulsion units ever supplied by ABB. Together, the giant 15 MW Azipod units provide a total power of 45 MW, enabling the vessel to navigate safely through ice up to 2.1 m thick. The units, which can be rotated 360 degrees, boost vessel maneuverability and have unparalleled performance in ice, providing thrust in any direction.

Christophe de Margerie joins over 1,000 ships supported by the ABB Ability Collaborative Operations Centers worldwide.

From these hubs, ABB experts monitor operational shipboard systems, coordinate equipment diagnostics and offer predictive maintenance services. This backup is particularly crucial for complex vessels navigating through ice in the far north, the company said.

This latest contract brings the total number of Sovcomflot vessels supported by ABB Ability Remote Diagnostics Systems for Marine to 16.