LNG carrier Eduard Toll’s recent transit through the Northern Sea Route marked the first time a shipping vessel has made the independent passage without the support of an icebreaker at this time of year.

Eduard Toll is the fourth of 15 Arc7 liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers being built for the Yamal LNG project and Teekay’s first of six 172,000 cubic meter LNG carrier newbuilds contracted to service the project.

The vessel was built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) shipyard in South Korea and technically accepted at the beginning of December 2017 after completing sea trials and immediately thereafter departed for her journey to Northern Russia.

Over the past month, she has transited via the Northern Sea Route, breaking ice 1.8 meters thick at speeds of five knots astern in order to complete first loading at Sabetta Terminal Russia and first discharge in Montoir, France.

“With the inaugural passage now successfully behind us, we look forward to loading for someplace sunnier as soon as Yamal LNG’s busy quay becomes available, and to doing it all over again for decades to come on the Eduard Toll and our five other five newbuilds comprising the Arc7 fleet that we own with our joint venture partner, China LNG,” said Mark Kremin, president and chief executive officer, Teekay Gas Group Ltd.