One of the contracts, intending the freight of two vessels, has been concluded with the Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) -- OAO Sovkomflot consortium. The other, freighting one ship, has been concluded with the Russian-Japanese consortium of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd (MOL), Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. (K Line) -- OAO Maritime Sea Shipping Company.
Two vessels of 147,200 cubic-metre capacity each will be built for the NYK-OAO Sovkomflot consortium at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyards. Supply is scheduled for the 2007 fourth quarter. The third vessel of the same capacity, to be supplied in the 2008 second quarter, will be built for the MOL, K Line - OAO Maritime Sea Shipping Company consortium by the ship-building firm Mitsui Engineering&Shipbuilding.
All the three will be strengthened against ice and designed for low-temperature service. The design will ensure round-the-year shipments from the Sakhalin Energy LNG plant, found in the south of the Sakhalin island, the press release says.
According to Sakhalin Energy executive director Jan Craig, inking the contracts on the company's behalf, the members of the Russian-Japanese consortiums combine over twenty years of experience of accident-free LNG transportation and skills of navigation safety in the complex conditions of the Russian seas.
Sakhalin Energy commercial director Andy Kalitz noted that Russian organisations will for the first time participate in LNG transportation. As partners of the experienced Japanese transportation companies, the Russian companies will play a crucial role in building, owing and running LNG freighters at the international level, Kalitz said.
"Thanks to these contracts, Russia is now among the countries-owners of LNG fleets", Sakhalin region governor Ivan Malakhov said. "We are making strides in the realisation of the LNG project in Russia and can now supply the gas to consumers", said the head of Russia's only insular region.
