NSR Shipping Traffic – LNG transportations on NSR in January-May 2020

During the 5 months of operation in 2020, 15 LNG vessels completed 224 voyages (111 export transportations and 113 return voyages). The main countries that accepted LNG supplies during this period were Belgium, France and the Netherlands. It is worth noting that in March, temporary shipments were resumed at the transshipment point in Norway – Honningsvag. The transportations to Honningsvag lasted from April 1 to April 27, a total of 7 voyages were made.

This year, LNG tankers opened summer navigation earlier than in previous years. The first tanker to head east was “Christophe de Margerie”, the ship left the port of Sabetta on May 18 and arrived in the waters of the port of Yangkou (China) on June 9. The voyage took 21 days, the distance –  6047 nautical miles, the average speed was 11.7 knots. During the voyage, “Christophe de Margerie” successfully crossed the Northern Sea Route eastward and became the first large-capacity vessel to make such a passage in May, when ice conditions in the eastern area of the Arctic remain heavy. Traditionally, navigation in this part of the NSR opens only in July.

Following “Christophe de Margerie”, tanker “Vladimir Voronin” went to the eastern boundary. The vessel left the port of Sabetta on May 24 and it arrived at the port of Nakhodka on June 8, then the vessel headed for China.