Port dues discount for LNG-powered ships successfully applied in Russian ports – Sovcomflot
On 15 October 2018, Sovcomflot crude oil tanker Gagarin Prospect running on LNG as the primary fuel successfully completed the first loading with Russia’s export crude oil at the port of Primorsk having paid port dues with a 10-pct discount, Victor Petrusevich, Head of Sovcomflot’s Navigation Safety Division, said at the 2nd LNG Fleet and LNG Bunkering in Russia conference organized by IAA PortNews.
He explained that reduced port dues set for environmentally friendly ships is among measures aimed to encourage and motivate for mass use of LNG as a marine fuel.
“Such priviledges are offered to environmentally clean ships in many ports worldwide. In this respect Russia follows the global trends to attract more port calls”, - said Victor Petrusevich. –We hope that infrastructure intended for bunkering of ships with LNG fuel will develop in the Baltic Sea, that will ensure even more encouraging of large-scale introduction for this ecofriendly marine fuel.”
A possibility of port dues discount for LNG-powered ships was announced by Rf Transport Ministry at the 1st LNG Fleet and LNG Bunkering in Russia conference (Moscow, 25 October 2017). One year later, this idea has been successfully implemented at the port of Primorsk.
On 22 October 2018, Sovcomflot crude oil tanker Gagarin Prospect successfully completed her voyage across the Baltic and North Seas from Primorsk to Rotterdam where she safely delivered a cargo of 104,815 tonnes of crude oil. For the pioneering vessel, it marked her first export delivery of Russian crude oil under a long-term time-charter contract between SCF and Shell.
Gagarin Prospect was delivered to SCF in July 2018. The first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering of the tanker took place at the port of Rotterdam on 2 October 2018.
Gagarin Prospect is the world’s first Aframax crude oil tanker designed to operate on LNG as the primary fuel. She is the lead ship of the next generation of tankers, which will set a new standard of navigation safety and quality. Switching to cleaner-burning LNG fuel allows Sovcomflot to significantly reduce its impact on the natural environment. This is particularly important for ships in high-traffic areas such as the Baltic and North Seas where these ‘Green Funnel’ tankers will primarily operate.
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Sovcomflot tanker Gagarin Prospect successfully completes first commercial voyage from Primorsk to Rotterdam on LNG fuel >>>>
