OREANDA-NEWS. Sovcomflot (SCF Group) and the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) have both taken steps to make the Russian fleet more competitive.

In 2014 10 SCF Group vessels were registered by RS, meaning that it is now responsible for the technical inspection of 40 Sovcomflot ships in total. These include the very latest Atlanticmax LNG carriers, multi-purpose ice-breaking supply vessels, crude oil tankers, chemical carriers and tugs.

In order to satisfy the increasing requirements of large-scale oil & gas projects on Russia's continental shelf, Sovcomflot plans to expand its fleet of specialised and technically advanced vessels operating under the flag of the Russian Federation, whilst continuing to develop mutually-beneficial partnerships with the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. At present, SCF's entire ship-building programme is being carried out with the participation of RS.

SCF Group and RS are currently working together on several ship-building projects which are technically complex, in light of the difficulty of operating vessels at extremely low temperatures and in regions with challenging climatic conditions. The new vessels ordered by Sovcomflot to serve Russia's Yamal LNG project include an ARC7 pilot Arctic ice-class LNG carrier. The ship's technical characteristics and her unique power capacity, comparable with that of a nuclear-powered ice-breaker, allow her to transport cargo along the Northern Sea Route. This LNG carrier is planned to enter service in June 2016.