Sakhalin Energy, Sovcomflot Order Newbuild

The companies have signed a number of agreements for construction and long-term operation of the vessels for Sakhalin-2 project.

At an official ceremony in Moscow, Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. (Sakhalin Energy) and Sovcomflot Shelf (SCF Shelf) on behalf of Sovcomflot Group have signed a contract for the construction and long-term operation of the multifunctional icebreaking supply vessel for Sakhalin-2 offshore platforms. Operations under the contract will continue for 20 years. The vessel will be used as year round personnel carrier and also as supply vessel for offshore platforms in the Sea of Okhotsk. In case of emergency, the vessel will be deployed for personnel evacuation and oil spill response.

The parties have also signed several memorandums of understanding for construction and operation of three additional multifunctional icebreaking standby vessels.

On the occasion of the signing of the contract and memorandums of understanding, Roman Dashkov, Chief Executive Officer of Sakhalin Energy, noted, “It is especially important for us that the company that we signed the documents with, has proven capability of providing safe and reliable operation of Company’s Assets in harsh climatic conditions of Sakhalin shelf. We have been successfully cooperating for many years with Sovcomflot, the corporation that has consistently demonstrated high operational excellence up to the world standards. We will continue to support Russian industry and extend long-term relationship with a reliable and competent partner”.

Sergey Frank, President and CEO of Sovcomflot, said, “We are grateful to our partners, Sakhalin Energy, for the opportunity to expand our involvement in the Sakhalin-II project. This is fully in line with Sovcomflot’s strategic plans, which provide for the expansion of our fleet with state-of-the-art vessels and an increase in the share of technical projects in our business portfolio. The company’s backlog of future contracted revenue totals over $2 billion (USD).

Russian shipbuilders will play an active role in the construction of the new vessels: SCF has already signed a shipbuilding contract with Arctech (a joint venture between OAO United Shipbuilding Corporation and STX Finland) and structural components for the vessels will be produced in Russia at Vyborg Shipyard.

The new vessels will provide fine examples of high-tech solutions in the shipping industry; they will be able to cope successfully with its tasks and will contribute to environmental protection reinforcement of Russia’s Far Eastern seas. In recent years, Sovcomflot has accumulated good experience of operating ice class supply vessels. Today, our company has four vessels of this type, one of which is engaged in operations on the Sakhalin-II project. I am confident that our collaboration with Sakhalin Energy holds excellent prospects for the future.”

Signing of the contract for construction and long-term operation of supply vessel and memorandums of understanding for additional three standby vessels are yet another example of large scale involvement of Russian industry in Sakhalin-2. Russian shipping companies play a significant role in the project implementation. They are also members of the international consortia that transport LNG under long-term charter contracts which enabled Russian shipping companies to enter the LNG transportation market.