Russia: Vyborg Shipyard Commences Steel Cutting for New Ice-class Supply Vessel

On 6 July 2011 a steel cutting ceremony took place at the Vyborg Shipyard for the first in a new series of multifunctional supply vessels, ordered by SCF Group, to service oil production platforms.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of SCF Group, Exxon Neftegas Limited, Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Oy, United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), Vyborg Shipyard, the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping and Lloyd’s Register.

The construction of multifunctional supply vessels is the result of an agreement signed last December by SCF Group and Exxon Neftegas Limited (operator of Sakhalin-1 project). This agreement envisages the long-term chartering out of two, high ice class, specialist supply vessels. The relevant shipbuilding contracts were signed by SCF Group and Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Oy – a joint venture of USC and STX Finland. Vyborg Shipyard will be engaged in constructing of the hull elements of the new vessels.

The lead ship of the series will be named Vitus Bering, after a famous Russian explorer of the Far Eastern seas and a Dane by origin. in the future the modern supply vessels will operate in the same high latitudes that Bering explored. The first vessel delivery is expected at the end of 2012 – early 2013. Both ships will be registered in Russia and will fly the flag of the Russian Federation.

The vessels have been designed for year-round servicing of the oil platform at the offshore Arkutun-Dagi field, part of the Sakhalin-1 project. The ships’ design and their equipment will enable the year-round transportation of personnel, supplies and storage materials to the platform, the performance of ice operations, including escorting ships in ice conditions in the platform area, possible oil spill containment operations, including those performed in low temperatures, active firefighting operations, ocean towage of platforms and other large installations.

The hulls of the vessels have been designed to navigate in ice conditions with the stern forwards. They are equipped with dynamic positioning systems to ensure stable positioning at the platform. The design and the equipment of the ships will allow them to operate safely in winter ice up to 1.7 metres thick. The power propulsion system, comprising four main engines, will provide an aggregate power of 18 MW.

Vessel dimentions:

Deadweight – 3,950 tonnes

Length overall – 99.2 metres

Breadth (moulded) – 21.7 metres

Draft – 7.9 metres

Crew – 22 people

Sovcomflot Vice-President Alexander Kurtynin noted: “Today’s event is an important milestone in development of the upstream services for theoffshore energy projects – one of the activities most in demand from Russian and international oil and gas companies. The development of Sovcomflot as a national operator in the complex services for the offshore production is one of the key elements of SCF Group’s development Strategy to 2017. The ships will be constructed jointly by Russian and Finnish shipbuilders and will represent a new generation of multifunctional supply vessels. We are very pleased to start the construction of these modern high-tech and enhanced ice class ships in Russia. This represents the future of Russian shipbuilding.”

SCF Group (SCF Sovcomflot) – one of the world’s leading shipping companies, specializing in crude oil, petroleum products and liquefied gas transportation. The fleet includes 157 vessels with a total deadweight of 11.8 million tonnes. The company is registered in St. Petersburg with offices in Moscow, Novorossiysk, Murmansk, Vladivostok, London, Limassol, Madrid and Singapore. The Group offers a wide range and a powerful grouping of vessels, in the market segments most in demand from major Russian oil and gas companies. With its own technical development activities and unique approach to advanced technologies, Sovcomflot has the ability to meet the most demanding customer requirements, providing effective transportation services for oil and gas companies. www.scf-group.ru

OAO Vyborg Shipyard is one of the largest shipbuilding enterprises of the North Western region of Russia. The history of the yard started 60 years ago. Various types of ships and marine structures came off the stocks of Vyborg Shipyard, starting from non-self-propelled and small vessels to tank landing ships, rescue crafts and chemical protection ships for the Navy support fleet, as well as a great number of merchant ships. At present the construction of drilling platforms, ships of small and medium tonnage and ship repair are the main activities of the company.

Artech Helsinki Shipyard Oy is a joint-venture company, which is 50/50 owned by STX Finland and United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) (Russia). The company, with approximately 400 employees, is focusing on maximising the use of existing Arctic marine technologies and on creating new solutions in this area. The Yard’s activities are aimed at the construction of specialized vessels and at cooperation between Russian and Finnish marine shipbuilding enterprises, in order to best satisfy customers’ demand, and requiring the renovation and the expansion of the Arctic fleet.

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Source: SCF Group, July 7, 2011; Image: SCF Group