First of Yamal LNG tankers starts navigation via the NSR

The first LNG tanker with Arctic ice class “Christophe de Margerie”, that will work for Yamal LNG project, has entered the Kara Sea waters and started its first voyage on the Northern Sea Route (NSR), Yamal LNG reported.
As expected, this tanker will pass the route without icebreaker assistance and deliver LNG from Norway to South Korea in 15 days.

“The route from Europe to South and Southeast Asia via the NSR makes possible to reduce transportation period in two times in comparison with the traditional route”, the report said.
“Christophe de Margerie” (named after the head of French company Total died in Russia) is the first of 15 tankers built for Yamal LNG project. The tanker has successfully finished ice trials in winter navigation in 2016-2017. The vessel can navigate on the NSR without icebreaker assistance year-round in the western direction and during summer navigation – in the eastern direction.

Yamal LNG is implementing the project, which consists of construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant with an output capacity of around 16.5 million tons per year, using the South Tambey Field as a resource base. It is planned to launch the plant in 2017. The project cost is estimated at $ 27 billion, almost the entire volume is contracted – 96% of the future volume of LNG. The shareholders of Yamal LNG are Novatek (50,1%), Total (20%), CNPC (20%) and the fund of “Silk Road” (9,9%).

Source: http://www.morvesti.ru