Glavgosexpertiza approves expansion of access canal to Sabetta port

Glavgosexpertiza (Russia's Main Department of State Expertise) says it has considered the design documentation for reconstruction of the access canal to the port of Sabetta aimed to ensure safe shipping and approved expansion of the transit passage in 2020-2030.

The access canal to the port of Sabetta was built and put into operation in 2019 to ensure year-round movements of ships and shipment of liquefied natural gas and liquefied gas condensate.

The project documentation foresees expansion of the canal to meet the demand of NOVATEK and Gazprom Neft for shipments of hydrocarbons.

Besides, the expanded canal can be used for the delivery of gravity-based structures to NOVATEK’s Utrenny terminal being built in the Gulf of Ob under the Arctic LNG 2 project.

The reconstruction project is to be implemented in two phases. The first one (2020-2021) foresees the expansion of the canal to 475 meters at its straight section and to 573 meters at the turn.

Upon completion of the second phase of dredging scheduled for 2022, the width will be increased to 573 meters along the entire canal. Besides, aids to navigation will be moved on the canal.

“Currently, the canal can ensure up to four ship passages per day while its capacity upon completion of the expansion will be raised to nine passages per day, that is at least 1,500 passages per year”, says Glavgosexpertiza.

The reconstruction project has been developed by LENMORNIIPROEKT JSC with FSUE Hydrographic Company to conduct the reconstruction works.

It was Krylov State Research Center that conducted scientific substantiation of the parameters for modernization of the canal in the Gulf of Ob to ensure safety while increasing the traffic of vessels.

Krylov State Research Center also conducts modelling of offshore operations on delivery and installation of large structures at the Utrenny terminal for LNG shipments.

Related links:

Mordraga and Hydrographic Company sign agreement on reconstruction of seaway canal in the Gulf of Ob>>>>

Hydrographic Department to dredge about 20 million cbm of material on Sabetta’s seaway canal in 2020 >>>>