EMEA News
Construction Contract Signed for Russia's First Three LNG Bunker Vessels
United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) will build Russia’s first three Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) bunkering tankers and has an option to construct an additional six vessels, IAA PortNews reportes.
The deal is worth RUB 5.67 bin ($104-million).
LNG-Gorskaya LLC signed the 22 month-term contract with USC, and each vessel will have a capacity of 7,300 cubic metres.
The company stated that innovative solutions will be introduced within the contract framework, including membrane technologies developed by GTT whose application for bunkering tankers will supposedly pave the way for construction of giant LNG carriers.
LNG-Gorskaya is currently involved in the construction of a floating LNG plant with an annual capacity of 1.26 min t at Gorskaya station near Saint-Petersburg.
The company intends to begin delivering LNG to European consumers and to bunker vessels in the Gulf of Finland starting in December of 2016.
Altogether the plant will be augmented with nine bunkering tankers, loading rack and gas pipeline, as well as LNG terminals in Finland, Germany and Sweden.
Boston Consulting Group recently predicted that LNG will become the marine fuel of the future, commanding up to 27 percent of the bunker market by 2025.
