OREANDA-NEWS. November 20, 2009. SCF Group and OAO United Shipbuilding Corporation signed a package of agreements on cooperation, which envisage the use of the existing potential of Russia’s shipyards in the Far-Eastern region, as well as joint actions aimed at marine equipment construction, based on the newly created capacities in the Primorsk region. The signing ceremony took place in the town of Bolshoy Kamen (Primorsk region).

As Sergey Frank, Sovcomflot President and CEO, noted, the signed agreements correspond to the basic provisions of the company’s development strategy and to the programme of fleet renovation and expansion: “We welcome new additional possibilities in marine equipment construction in Russia which are close to developing oil and gas production centres in the offshore areas of Sakhalin and to the conditions of the growing role of ports in the Far-Eastern area, which are undertaking export deliveries of hydrocarbons to the countries of Asia-Pacific region. We also welcome the strengthening of Russia’s shipbuilding industry positions in the competitive global environment”, said Mr. Frank.

In accordance with the Agreement signed by SCF Group, OAO United Shipbuilding Corporation and VEB-leasing, Sovcomflot is planning to bareboat-charter (with a buying option) two chemical tankers of 18,000 dwt each, being built at the shipyard OAO Far-Eastern Centre of shipbuilding and ship repairs.
Taking into account actual demands of Russian and international oil and gas companies, including OAO Gazprom, OAO NK LUKOIL, TNK-BP, agreements were signed, which envisage technical and commercial opportunities to build not less than six Suezmax tankers (160,000 dwt each) at newly created facilities of OAO United Shipbuilding Corporation in the Primorsky Region, as well as four LNG tankers (175,000 cubic metres capacity each). These and other ships will be ordered for Sovcomflot on the basis of commercial terms and in conformity with world’s current procedures and standards.
A trilateral agreement with the participation of NOVATEK was signed dealing with the development of the construction of platforms for an LNG plant at United Shipbuilding Corporation in the Primorsky Region , and a complete line of vessels for the needs of gas fields in the Yamal peninsula and for transporting gas to ultimate consumers, including shipments along the Northern Sea Route.

Evgeniy Ambrosov, Sovcomflot Senior Executive Vice-President and SCF Varandey General Director, stressed that Sovcomflot, as a world leader in Arctic transportation of energy, has experience in arranging the construction of vessels with enhanced ice class capabilities at national and foreign shipyards, and in operating such fleet in ice conditions. In order to provide for the forthcoming navigation of 2010, Sovcomflot, in co-operation with NOVATEK, Glencore and FGUP Atomflot, is developing a programme for implementing a number of pilot voyages along the Northern Sea Route eastbound.
Roman Trotsenko, Acting President of OAO United Shipbuilding Corporation, noted that the co-operation of Sovcomflot with Russia’s yards, allows them not only to give orders for modern vessels and to create jobs, but also to improve working skills and practice. The agreement contributes to the development of maritime clusters in the sea regions of Russia. OAO United Shipbuilding Corporation considers that mainly due to such co-operation a series of product tankers has been built for Sovcomflot at the Admiralty Shipyards, and the construction of Arctic shuttle tankers of high ice-class for year-round navigation, has been almost completed. The launching of the tanker Kirill Lavrov, another tanker in the series of Arctic shuttle tankers, has been scheduled for 19 December 2009.
Sovcomflot (SCF) Group –is one of Russia’s largest infrastructure enterprises. Its fleet comprises 145 vessels of more than 10 million tonnes (dwt) in total; Its current shipbuilding portfolio includes 17 ships of an aggregate deadweight of 1.55 million tonnes (dwt);
• The average age of vessels in the tanker fleet is six years (the world average age is 12 years);
• SCF Group is a world leader in the product carrier segment; it is the second largest in the Aframax tanker segment and the fourth largest in the Suezmax tanker sector;
• The company owns the largest ice-class fleet, being No.1 in the segment of the Arctic shuttle tankers and ice-classed LNG tankers;
• The Group’s services include not only transporting hydrocarbons for its customers, but also trans-shipping crude oil via FSO facilities, terminal management and developing effective logistics for transporting energy, and providing supply vessels services to drilling rigs and offshore platforms.
• SCF Group is a major customer in Russia’s merchant shipbuilding