Zvezda starts work on another LNG-powered Aframax

Russian Zvezda shipyard has started building another liquefied natural gas-powered Aframax tanker for compatriot Rosneft.

The yard held a keel laying ceremony for the LNG-powered vessel on Monday, according to a statement by Russian state-owned energy company Rosneft.

The vessel will be named after Nursultan Nazarbayev, the first President of Kazakhstan.

The 114,000 dwt tanker will be 250 meters long and 44 meters wide.

Zvezda has in total twelve Aframax tankers on order out of which five are under construction.

Rosneft’s unit Rosnefteflot will use these five tankers for crude oil transportation.

These are first Russian-builit Aframax tankers and they will all feature LNG propulsion.

Zvezda launched the first vessel Vladimir Monomakh in May. This tanker started its sea trials last month.

The Zvezda shipyard is a large shipbuilding complex located in the town of Bolshoy Kamen in the Russian Far East.

It is a run by a consortium consisting of Rosneftegaz, Rosneft, and Gazprombank.

The yard’s order portfolio currently amounts to 39 vessels including 59 options, according to Rosneft.