Two LNG carriers on Northern Sea Route

Alan Bailey

for Petroleum News

Two icebreaking LNG carriers are currently transiting Russia’s Northern Sea Route and are about to pass each other in the East Siberian Sea, The Maritime Executive reported on Jan. 11. The vessels are operating without icebreaker escorts, The Maritime Executive said.

For a number of years Russia has been promoting its Northern Sea Route, the route that traverses the edge of the Arctic Ocean around the country’s northern coast, as a means whereby commercial shipping can cut the transit time between Europe and East Asia. The country operates a fleet of icebreakers that can assist vessels navigating the route.

In August 2017 and July 2018 single icebreaking LNG carriers traversed the route without icebreaker assistance. However, the operation of two LNG carriers without the need for icebreakers in the middle of winter seems to mark a new advance in the use of the route.

Icebreaking LNG carriers use swiveling “azipod” propulsion systems that enable the vessels to travel forwards in open water, but in reverse through sea ice.

As previously reported in Petroleum News, Alaska-based Qilak LNG Inc. is investigating the feasibility of exporting LNG from the Point Thomson field on Alaska’s North Slope using icebreaking LNG carriers. A challenge for the North Slope is the relatively shallow nearshore waters - Qilak anticipates the installation of an offshore LNG terminal.

- ALAN BAILEY