Bermuda-based owner and operator of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers Teekay LNG Partners revealed that its first icebreaker LNG newbuilding was launched in South Korea on January 21, 2017.
The vessel, Eduard Toll, is Teekay’s first of six 172,000 cubic meter ARC7 LNG carriers to be constructed for the Yamal LNG project located on the Yamal Peninsula in Northern Russia.
The construction of Eduard Toll began at Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) shipyard in 2016.
With a gross tonnage of 110,000 tons, the icebreaker features a length of 298 meters and a width of 45.8 meters.
In late November, Teekay held a steel cutting ceremony for the second LNG icebreaker, Rudolf Samoylovich, at DSME.
The Yamal LNG project, expected to produce 16.5 million metric tons of LNG annually, is sponsored by Novatek OAO, Total SA, China National Petroleum Corporation and Silk Road Fund.
In the framework of the project scheduled to start production in 2017, a series of fifteen vessels will be built, each capable of transporting 172,000 cubic meters and operating year-round in second-year ice up to 2.5 meters thick.
Yamal LNG has awarded Sovcomflot, MOL, Teekay and Dynagas one, three, six and five vessels respectively. Teekay finalized the shipbuilding contract for the construction of the six icebreakers in 2014.
The vessels will be built to dual Bureau Veritas/Russian Register class.
Image Courtesy: Teekay