Russia’s largest independent natural gas producer Novatek shipped 15 LNG cargos from its Yamal project to the Asian Pacific markets directly via the Northern Sea Route (NSR) during the third quarter of 2019.
Novatek said that the eastbound shipments represented about 25 percent of all LNG dispatched from Yamal LNG during the quarter.
According to the company, planned 2019 volumes of LNG delivered eastbound to the Asian Pacific markets via the NSR will be increased by more than four times compared to last year.
A current fleet of 13 Arc7 ice-class tankers along with lower ice-class designated tankers to transport LNG cargos support the Yamal LNG project.
Novatek added that the full complement of 15 Arc7 ice-class tankers should be in operation by the end of 2019, which would increase the number of direct LNG deliveries eastbound via the NSR.
Lev Feodosyev , Novatek’s first deputy chairman of the management board, said: “ The increase of LNG delivered eastbound via the NSR confirms the commercial priority of the Asia-Pacific region as a strategic direction for future deliveries of Novatek’s LNG.
“ Developing further the navigational efficiency via the NSR combined with the construction of LNG transshipment complexes in Kamchatka and Murmansk will optimize the Company’s logistics chain. “