Sovcomflot Reports Significant CO2 Cuts from New LNG-Powered Tankers

Russian shipping company PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group) has achieved significant CO2 emission cuts since taking delivery of the first of its “Green Funnel” LNG-fueled Aframax crude oil tankers a year ago.

The company has accumulated data showing that using LNG as a primary fuel for these high-capacity tankers enabled a 30 percent reduction of CO2 emissions compared with similar vessels powered by traditional heavy fuel.

This reduction has exceeded the original design target values, Sovcomflot said.

Igor Tonkovidov, Executive Vice President and CTO/COO of Sovcomflot, delivered a report on the first results of operating ‘Green Funnel’ series tankers while visiting Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex in the Russian Far East where five similar LNG-fueled large-capacity tankers are being built for Sovcomflot.

“It is remarkable that during the round-trip voyage from Primorsk to Rotterdam and back, an LNG-fuelled ‘Green Funnel’ tanker of Sovcomflot emits 350 tonnes of CO2 less than a similar vessel powered by a standard marine fuel. By 2023, SCF Group plans to have 11 LNG-fuelled tankers in its fleet, with five more under technical management,” Tonkovidov said.

Sovcomflot currently has fleet of 146 of vessels with a total deadweight of over 12.8 million tons. More than 80 vessels have an ice class.

In 2018-2019, Sovcomflot took delivery of six 114,000 dwt LNG-powered Aframax crude oil tankers of Arc4 ice class. In 2019, Gagarin Prospect, the lead ship in this ‘Green Funnel’ series, won the international Marine Propulsion Award for Ship of the Year 2018 and Nor-Shipping Next Generation Ship Award 2019.

During the second half of 2018, Sovcomflot placed orders at Zvezda for five LNG-fueled tankers, which will be time-chartered to Rosneft and Novatek once delivered. In addition, Sovcomflot provides technical supervision for the construction of five LNG-powered tankers for Rosneft at Zvezda, and it is envisaged that Sovcomflot will provide technical management of these tankers following their delivery.