Sovcomflot (SCF Group), Russia’s largest shipping company, a pioneer in adopting LNG as the primary fuel for large-capacity oil tankers, placed an order with Russia’s Zvezda shipbuilding complex on December 28 for three product carriers of 51,000 dwt each that will also use LNG as their main fuel.
They will transport petroleum products and gas condensate and will be chartered to Novatek under long-term time charter agreements. Each tanker will have an ice class of 1B, enabling safe operations in areas with challenging ice conditions, including the Baltic.
Using LNG fuel enables to significantly reduce emissions. Compared to engines burning standard marine fuels, LNG-powered engines release 27 per cent less Carbon Dioxide (CO2), 85 per cent less Nitrogen Oxide (NOx), 100 per cent less Sulphur Oxides (SOx), and 100 per cent less particulate matter.
The technical specification of the tankers reflects the international regulatory limits on sulphur, nitrogen and greenhouse gas emissions, which will come into effect in 2020.
In 2018, Sovcomflot has already saw three LNG-fueled Aframax crude oil tankers delivered to its fleet.