Gazprom Neft’s LNG bunkering vessel completes sea trials

Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft informed its liquefied natural gas bunkering vessel, Dmitry Mendeleev has completed sea trials.

The construction of Russia’s first LNG bunkering vessel has entered the final stage, Gazprom Neft said in its statement on Friday.

The company noted that during the sea trials, tests of the main propulsion systems were conducted. The company also verified the functionality of the navigation equipment and control systems as well as maneuverability of the vessel.

In the coming stages, Gazprom Neft informed that the tests of the vessel’s loading, storage and LNG unloading systems will be tested.

The vessel is set to enter Gazprom Neft’s fleet in the second half of 2021.

This new vessel will provide transportation and bunkering of low-tonnage LNG fuel at ports in the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea including St Petersburg, Ust-Luga and Primorsk.

The vessel is 100 meters long, 19 meters wide, and can transport up to 5,800 cubic meters of LNG.

Its Arc4 ice-class reinforced hull means it can navigate one-year-old ice of up to 80 cm thick independently, while its integrated digital system means it can be controlled by just one crew member, directly from the navigation bridge.