Zvezda starts 7th Arctic LNG 2 carrier construction

Russian shipyard Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex has started cutting steel for the seventh ARC 7 ice-class LNG carrier for the Arctic LNG 2 project.

Zvezda started cutting steel for the seventh out of 15 ARC 7 ice-class LNG carriers. The handover of the particular vessel will take place in September 2024. 

These Sovcomflot-ordered ships will serve the Arctic LNG 2 project. Therefore, they are to allow the year-round transport of LNG along the Northern Sea Route to the Asian Pacific region. The project includes the construction of three LNG trains, with a capacity of 6.6 mtpa of LNG each.

SSK Zvezda and the companies of the VEB.RF group signed the contracts for the construction of 15 arctic LNGCs from December 2019 to July 2020. The shipyard then began cutting metal for the lead ship of the series in November 2020. 

SSK Zvezda is the first Russian shipyard to implement a project for the construction of such vessels. Icebreaking LNG carriers are designed to transport liquefied natural gas; able to operate in arctic conditions due to the enhanced Arc7 ice-class and icebreaking capacity of up to 2.1 metres. 

These are vessels of significant weight and size characteristics; they feature 300 metres length, 48.8 metres width, and their deadweight is 81,000 tonnes.

A distinctive feature of LNG carriers is the presence of an LNG storage system of the GTT‘s Mark III membrane type. In addition, the vessel will feature three unique rudder propellers.

The icebreakers will go under long-term time charter agreements between Sovcomflot (for a pilot vessel) and SMART LNG (a subsidiary of Sovcomflot Group and Novatek, for the remaining 14 vessels) with Arctic LNG 2 (a subsidiary of NOVATEK).