Sovcomflot participates in Eastern Economic Forum’s business programme
On 11-13 September 2018 a delegation from PAO Sovcomflot, headed by Sergey Frank, CEO and Chairman of the company's Executive Board, took part in the 4th Eastern Economic Forum, that is traditionally held in Vladivostok. The company's delegation included Evgeny Ambrosov, First Deputy CEO, and Igor Tonkovidov, First Deputy CEO – Chief Engineer of PAO Sovcomflot.
Accordig to the press release of Sovcoflot, the company signed a range of important agreements during the Forum's activities. On 11 September, a set of agreements were signed with Rosneft, Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex and VEB Group. The agreements include placing orders with SSK Zvezda for a series of two large-capacity LNG-powered Aframax tankers, with the support of VEB-Leasing to finance the construction of the tankers, with a subsequent long-term time charter for these vessels agreed with Rosneft. On 12 September, Sovcomflot, Vnesheconombank and VEB Leasing entered into a cooperation agreement. On the same day, SCF and the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment signed an agreement to develop long-term cooperation to ensure the environmental safety and preservation of the natural environment of the Russian Arctic.
On 12 September, Sergey Frank delivered a report at the EEF session "New Energy Markets: The Far Eastern Vector". The event was attended by: Alexander Novak, Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation; Shu Yibiao, Chairman of the Executive Board of the State Grid Corporation of China; Tetsuhiro Hosono, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer of Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation; Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of PAO Gazprom, and Lev Feodosyev, First Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of NOVATEK.
In his report, the head of Sovcomflot noted that the topic of development of new energy markets, amongst the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, is particularly acute considering that these countries are the main drivers of global economic growth in the 21 century and the main energy consumers. "The development of energy markets in the countries of the Asia-Pacific region is a powerful incentive for the exploration of new routes of energy delivery to the region, including the Ice Silk Road, much of which is the waters of the Northern Sea Route. This will turn the Russian Far East into one of the world's most important logistics hubs", noted Sergey Frank.
The expansion of freight along the new route sets new large-scale challenges for shipping companies and shippers. Increasing traffic along the Northern Sea Route requires: the application of state-of-the-art technologies; further improvement to the regulatory framework; the development of new forms of transport; the interaction of oil and gas production companies and close international cooperation amongst professionals. Sergey Frank recalled that Sovcomflot has developed great shipping expertise in challenging ice conditions. Since 2006 until now, the company's vessels have safely transported over 226 million tonnes of oil and 19 million tonnes of LNG from marine and offshore terminals of the Okhotsk, Barents, Pechora and Kara Seas, the bulk of which was delivered to the Asia-Pacific countries. "Logistics has to be not only viable commercially but also provided with the most advanced and environmentally sound technologies", stressed Sergey Frank. An indispensable factor of successful operation in the Arctic and Subarctic seas is the professionalism and experience of shipboard personnel. "Large-scale projects in the Arctic and the sophistication of modern marine facilities impose enhanced requirements for well trained, highly qualified personnel", said SCF’s President & CEO. The Russian Far East plays a significant role in this field. This region is also one of the leading educational centres for the Russian maritime industry, and a source of skilled maritime workers for work in the eastern sector of the Arctic. Sovcomflot's vessels service oil and gas projects on the Sakhalin shelf – Sakhalin-1 and Sakhalin-2. Most part of these vessels' crews are from Primorsky Krai and Sakhalin, the maritime school and traditions of which are amongst the best in the world.
It is symbolic that it is in the Far East, at the SSK Zvezda’s facilities, that a global environmental initiative of SCF’s for Aframax tankers fuelled by natural gas bunkers will be implemented for the first time in Russia.
PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group) is one of the world's leading shipping companies, specialising in the transportation of crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied gas, as well as the servicing of offshore oil and gas exploration and production. The company’s own and chartered fleet includes 147 vessels with a total deadweight of 12.7 million tonnes. 79 vessels have an ice class.
Sovcomflot is involved in servicing large oil and gas projects in Russia and around the world: Sakhalin-1; Sakhalin-2; Varandey; Prirazlomnoye; Novy Port; Yamal LNG, and Tangguh (Indonesia). The company is headquartered in Saint Petersburg, with offices in Moscow, Novorossiysk, Murmansk, Vladivostok, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, London, Limassol, and Dubai.
