Icebreaking LNG carrier 'Vladimir Rusanov' first call ceremony at PetroChina LNG Jiangsu Terminal

The Ice-breaking LNG carrier 'Vladimir Rusanov', which is jointly owned by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited for the Yamal LNG project, made its first call at PetroChina LNG Jiangsu Terminal in China on 17 July. A ceremony celebrating this milestone was held on 19 July, MOL said in a media release. At the end of March 2018, the vessel started transportation services for LNG produced by the Yamal LNG plant at Sabetta port in Russia (*2). For its latest voyage, the vessel departed from Sabetta port on 25 June, and had its first opportunity to navigate independently eastwards along the Northern Sea Route without ice-breaker support. The vessel passed the Bering Strait on 6 July(*3), and safely made its first call at PetroChina LNG Jiangsu Terminal in China on 17 July. The net voyage time from Sabetta to Jiangsu excluding stoppages for adjusting arrival time was 19 days only - much shorter than time usually taken for a route through Suez Canal, that is, more than a month. This voyage also marked the first direct LNG delivery to China for the Yamal LNG Project.