Future demand for vessels to carry cargo on NSR estimated at 74-76 units by 2024
Future demand for vessels to be deployed for cargo transportation on the Northern Sea Route (excluding icebreakers) is estimated at 74-76 units by 2024, This forecast was made at the meeting on NSR traffic development held by Federal Marine and River Transport Agency (Rosmorrechflot) and attended by representative of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Energy, the participants told IAA PortNews.
As of today, 33 vessels have been chartered for the Northern Sea Route under long-term agreements with 14 vessels in operation: nine Arc7 gas carriers, one conventional gas carrier and four ice class tugboats.
In 2019, the fleet of vessels operating on the Northern Sea Route will be expanded with six Arc7 gas carriers, seven conventional gas carriers, two Arc7 carrier of gas condensate and one port icebreaker of 12 MW. Three more conventional gas carriers are to be put in operation in 2020. All the abovementioned ships will be involved in transportation of NOVATEK’s cargo.
Apart from ships for NOVATEK, the meeting participants were provided with calculations on possible demand for vessels from a number of companies intended to work in the Arctic: 11 bulk cargo carriers for VostokCoal LLC; up to 10 Arc7 tankers, a conventional 150,000 DWT tanker and up to 4 port fleet ships for Neftegazholding JSC; 7 Arc7 vessels and 3 Arc5 vessels for Gazpromneft-Yamal LLC; 15 bulc cargo carriers for UK Utrennaya Zvezda LLC and up to 4 Arc5-Arc8 bulk cargo carriers for GDK Baimskaya LLC.
Besides, the meeting noted the need for new rescue and survey ships designed for Arctic operations.
NSR cargo base for the period through 2024 was estimated at over 82 million tonnes per year with natural resources accounting for up to 76.83 million tonnes per year.
