MOSCOW, June 3 – RIA Novosti. The Arctic gas tanker, the first vessel developed for the Yamal LNG project, was named Christophe de Margerie. The naming ceremony took place in St. Petersburg as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
The ship is named after the French entrepreneur, head oil company Total, who died in 2014 in a disaster at Vnukovo airport. The President of Russia, speaking at the ceremony, noted that Christophe de Margerie was a true friend of Russia.
“He had a special strategic vision, did a lot to strengthen friendly and partnership ties with Russia, and contributed to the implementation of a number of large joint projects in the energy sector,” Putin said.
According to him, naming the newest tanker after de Margerie was another symbol of sincere, kind attitude towards this outstanding person and a tribute to his memory.
On the night of October 21, 2014, at Moscow's Vnukovo airport, a Unijet airline Falcon 50EX light aircraft collided with a snowplow during takeoff. In addition to the head of Total, three crew members died in the crash. Driver snow blower Vladimir Martynenko admitted his guilt in what happened.
Flagship for the Arctic
The President noted that the tanker will become the flagship in a line of 15 ships. All of them are intended for the large-scale Yamal LNG project.
“I would like to note that this project, without exaggeration, is significant not only for our country, and, perhaps, not only for Europe,” Putin said. According to him, this project as a whole will be a significant contribution to the development of global energy.
"It contributes to the successful development of global spaces, creates demand for innovative technologies in the field of hydrocarbon production and transportation, creates jobs in our country and abroad. “Yamal LNG plays an important role in the development of the Northern Sea Route and in the development of the Arctic,” the Russian leader added.
In addition to the president, the naming ceremony was attended by Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko, Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov, heads of Novatek, Sovcomflot, VTB, Total, as well as Bernadette Jacqueline de Margerie, the widow of the deceased head of Total.
The “godmother” of the ship was Valentina Matvienko, who previously served as governor of St. Petersburg. It was she who broke the traditional bottle of champagne over the side. After this, the ship's signal sounded three times.
Unique vessel
"Christophe de Margerie" became the first of one and a half dozen gas tankers planned to be built for the Yamal LNG project.
The tanker is able to operate at temperatures down to minus 52 degrees and overcome ice up to 2.1 meters thick. Its capacity is more than 170 thousand cubic meters of liquefied natural gas, and the total power of the main diesel engines is comparable to the power of a modern nuclear icebreaker.
The tanker was built taking into account the requirements of the Polar Code and is characterized by high energy efficiency and environmental safety. Along with traditional fuels, the vessel installation can use liquefied stripping natural gas, which allows to significantly reduce emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere.
The new tanker’s high ice-breaking ability and exceptional maneuverability were confirmed during ice tests that took place from February 19 to March 8 in the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea. During the tests, the tanker passed through the Northern Sea Route and arrived at the port of Sabetta on the Gulf of Ob.
Special tankers with reinforced ice class Arc7 will allow year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route without icebreaker assistance in a western direction and during the Arctic summer in an eastern direction. Tankers have a dual-action system - the bow is adapted for navigation in open water and in conditions thin ice, and the stern is optimized for independent navigation in difficult ice conditions. Speed in open water - 19.5 knots; speed when traveling in ice up to one and a half meters thick is 5.5 knots. The construction of tankers for the Yamal LNG project is carried out by the South Korean shipyard Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering.
A second similar tanker was launched in January. It will be named after Eduard Toll, a Russian geologist and Arctic explorer. As the SeaNews portal reported at the beginning of the year, five more ships of this project will also receive the names of Russian Arctic explorers: Rudolf Samoilovich, Boris Vilkitsky, Fyodor Litke, Vladimir Rusanov and Vladimir Wiese.
Gas from Yamal
The Yamal LNG project with a total capacity of 16.5 million tons per year is being implemented on the resource base of the South Tambeyskoye field. The project's shareholders are Novatek (50.1%), Total (20%), CNPC (20%) and the Silk Road Fund (9.9%).
The first line of the plant is scheduled to be put into operation at the end of this year, and a total of three lines will be built. The Sabetta seaport will provide year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route.
As Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak stated, the launch of Yamal LNG at full power will increase the volume of gas exports by more than 10 percent and increase Russia's share in the global LNG market to 8-9 percent.
The world's first icebreaking tanker for transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG), Christophe de Margerie, arrived at the port of Sabetta on Thursday, the press service of Sovcomflot, which owns the gas carrier, reported. It is designed to transport gas from the Yamal LNG project, which will liquefy gas from the South Tambeyskoye field. The tanker is named after Total President Christophe de Margerie, who in October 2014 died along with the crew of his business jet when it collided with a snowplow at Vnukovo. “This is very symbolic, it will strengthen our relations even at such a spiritual level,” said Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“In terms of its characteristics, the gas carrier has no analogues in the world; it has been assigned the Arc7 ice class. It is capable of independently overcoming ice up to 2.1 m thick, its capacity is 172,600 cubic meters. m,” says the Sovcomflot release. This is the first tanker of a new type of vessel - Yamalmax. The tanker will be able to navigate the Northern Sea Route all year round in the western direction from Sabetta and for six months (from July to December) in the eastern direction; previously, summer navigation in the Northern Sea Route water area was limited to four months and only accompanied by an icebreaker.
Cost of a gas carrier " Sovcomflot"does not disclose. But for its construction, the company took out a loan of $319 million, and previously its cost was estimated at $340 million. In total, 15 such tankers were ordered for the Yamal LNG project, their total valuation in 2014 was approximately $5.5 billion.
“The fuel for the tanker is stripped LNG, i.e. its cargo, for the charterer of the vessel, Yamal LNG, is the most cheap way“to use the natural evaporations of our own cargo,” said Sovcomflot President Sergei Frank at the welcoming ceremony for the gas carrier. The tanker can also use traditional types of fuel.
The Yamal LNG plant is being built in three stages with launch in 2017, 2018 and 2019; it will be able to annually produce 16.5 million tons of LNG and up to 1.2 million tons of gas condensate. The first line of the plant will be commissioned this year, said Leonid Mikhelson, chairman of the board and largest shareholder of Novatek. “According to my expectations, until October,” added Total President Patrick Pouyanné. LNG from Yamal, according to Mikhelson, will be sold on the spot market this year, and next year – under long-term contracts.
Yamal LNG
LNG plant construction project
Shareholders: Novatek (50.1%), Total (20%), CNPC (20%), Silk Road Fund (9.9%).
It is developing the South Tambeyskoye gas field with reserves of 491 billion cubic meters. m in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug
The remaining gas carriers for the project - also Yamalmax - are still under construction and will be put into operation gradually until 2020; the project will also be served by other vessels of a lower ice class, says Raiffeisenbank analyst Konstantin Yuminov. All 15 gas carriers will be built by the Korean shipyard Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, six of them for the Canadian Teekay LNG, five for the Greek Dynagas and three for the Japanese Mitsui OSK Lines. Yamal LNG signed 45-year transportation contracts with these companies.
The gas tanker Christophe de Margerie (shipowner PJSC Sovcomflot) successfully completed its first commercial voyage on August 17, 2017, delivering a shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) from Norway to South Korea. The press service of Sovcomflot reports this.
During the voyage, the ship set a new record for crossing the NSR - 6.5 days. At the same time, the Christophe de Margerie became the first merchant ship in the world that was able to navigate the NSR without icebreaker support along the entire length of this route.
While crossing the NSR, the ship covered 2,193 miles (3,530 km) from Cape Zhelaniya on the archipelago New Earth to Cape Dezhnev on Chukotka - the extreme eastern mainland point of Russia. The exact transition time was 6 days 12 hours 15 minutes.
During the voyage, the ship again confirmed its exceptional suitability for working in high latitudes. The average speed during the passage exceeded 14 knots - despite the fact that in some sections the gas carrier was forced to go through ice fields up to 1.2 m thick. It is noted that the total duration of the voyage from Hammerfest (Norway) to Boren ( South Korea) using the Northern Sea Route was 22 days, which is almost 30% less than what would have been required when crossing the traditional southern route through the Suez Canal. The results of the flight allowed once again confirm economic efficiency use of the Northern Sea Route for the transit of large-capacity vessels.
Christophe de Margerie is the world's first and so far only icebreaking gas carrier. The unique vessel was built by order of the Sovcomflot group of companies for year-round transportation of LNG as part of the Yamal LNG project. The vessel was put into operation on March 27, 2017 after successful completion of ice trials, which took place in the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea.
The gas carrier is capable of independently breaking through ice up to 2.1 m thick. The vessel has an Arc7 ice class - the highest among existing transport vessels. The propulsion power of the gas carrier is 45 MW, which is comparable to the power of a modern nuclear icebreaker. High ice-passing ability and maneuverability of the Christophe de Margerie are ensured by Azipod-type rudder propellers, while it became the world's first high-ice-class vessel to have three Azipods installed at once.
The gas carrier is named after Christophe de Margerie, the former head of the Total concern. He played a key role in developing investment decisions and technological scheme of the Yamal LNG project and made a significant contribution to the development of Russian-French economic relations generally.
Sovcomflot Group of Companies (SCF Group) is the largest shipping company Russia, one of the world's leading companies in the maritime transportation of hydrocarbons, as well as servicing offshore exploration and production of oil and gas. Its own and chartered fleet includes 149 vessels with a total deadweight of more than 13.1 million tons. Half of the ships have an ice class.
Sovcomflot participates in servicing large oil and gas projects in Russia and the world: Sakhalin-1, Sakhalin-2, Varandey, Prirazlomnoye, Novy Port, Yamal LNG, Tangguh (Indonesia). The company's head office is located in St. Petersburg, with representative offices located in Moscow, Novorossiysk, Murmansk, Vladivostok, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, London, Limassol and Dubai.
Author Dmitry Viktorovich Lobusov captain of the nuclear-powered ship "50 Years of Victory" http://dmitry-v-ch-l.livejournal.com/ which escorted the gas carrier to the port of Sabetta
Many media outlets covered this event( You can read it on AS Ctaur). I will just add a few words and images describing the events leading up to the celebration.
It’s a bit of a shame for the native nuclear icebreaker fleet - there would be neither a port nor a gas carrier in the port without the help of nuclear icebreakers. To be fair, it must be said that the construction of new nuclear icebreakers would not have happened if it were not for this grandiose project - Yamal LNG.
So: March 27, 2017 in coordinates 73 gr. 3 min. SSh, 72 gr. 44 min. VD, at the precisely designated time - 22.00 Moscow time, the icebreaker "50 Let Pobedy" began escorting the gas carrier "Christophe De Margerie" south from the Kara Sea deep into the Gulf of Ob.
2.
Many people are surprised by the name. Therefore, I will explain - Christophe De Margerie was the president of the French concern "Total" and tragically died on the night of October 20-21, 2014 in a plane crash at Moscow's Vnukovo airport, when a Dassault Falcon plane collided with an airfield snowplow.
20% of the Yamal LNG project belongs to the Total concern. And during the sanctions boom, Total, under the leadership of Christophe, did not turn away from this project.
Paying tribute, it was decided to name the first tanker in a series of 15 gas carriers after the deceased.
I wrote earlier about the names of the next tankers of this project - Gas carriers - the names of Arctic researchers
Interesting fact- with the advent of this series of tankers, a new classification of type laser appeared - YAMALMAX
I’ll try to explain in pictures the origin of this standard size.
Large vessels are built, divided or classified according to their dimensions into different types.
This classification takes into account the characteristics of the navigation area, namely the depths in the straits and port waters, the dimensions of the locks, and navigation conditions on artificial canals and inland waterways. The actual navigation situation on the ocean and sea routes is the reason why the size of ships has clear requirements. (see - Classification of cargo ship sizes)
So, the port of Sabetta is located on the eastern coast of the Yamal Peninsula, the path to it lies along the shallow section of the Ob Bay, where the depths on the fairway were 9-10 meters.
A) 
Gas carriers for the Yamal LNG project have a loaded draft of 11.8 m. In order for them to go to the port, load and go out into the ocean, a channel 290 m wide and 26 nautical miles (48 km) long was dug. It is so narrow that it is not visible on a small-scale map (a), so below I present a map of a man-made canal with the outline of a nuclear icebreaker, which has dimensions more modest than a gas carrier, only 160 m long, 30 m wide. But our draft is 11 m, so we can also cross this shallow water only along the canal.
This channel determined the new standard size - Yamalmax.
B) 
It has already begun to get light and we are just being pulled into the canal with the gas carrier.
3.
The icebreaker made a channel in the ice, but compression is underway. Most of the vessels we operate would be jammed and ground to a halt. But “Christophe” has a power of 60 thousand hp and pushes apart the ice we destroyed, confidently following us.
4.
5.
The last turn to the strictly straight course of the canal. You can see how much wider the gas carrier is than the icebreaker (we are 30 m - the gas carrier is 50 m).
This was the first experimental passage of a section of the route that was difficult for navigation and ice, so the Vaygach a/l was brought in for backup.
Large icebreakers of the Arktika type, to which the 50 Let Pobedy a/l belongs, cannot break ships on the canal. But “Vaigach” has less sediment, and it feels more at ease in the depths surrounding our path.
6.
We walk along the canal and heavy ice.
7.
But, lately Favorable winds were blowing, and in the middle of the channel there was only young ice, which was tough not only for such a giant. Therefore, "Vaigach" began to overtake in order to run to the aid of others in need of the icebreaker's help.
8.
We also leave the gas carrier to follow itself to its destination port. And we ourselves run forward. But on the way we meet with “Vaigach”, transfer people to him, and give him spare parts. (Unfortunately, I didn’t film this process).
During this time, "Christophe De Margerie" overtook us, fortunately for the photographer. The photographer’s second assistant was the Sun, which turned the sky blue and illuminated the sides of the gas carrier through the clouds.
I apologize for the pile below - I couldn’t resist posting a lot of photos.
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13.
14.
15.
And here is the port of Sabetta. The berth where the gas carrier is to moor. L/k "Moscow" has already prepared an approach channel, which we also used to be curious.
16.
A solemn moment - the gas carrier approaches the port waters.
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18.
Icebreakers stand aside and watch the process.
19.
20.
21.
The gas carrier slowly, majestically and carefully passes the “gate” of the port. These are ice protection structures that protect the port from the drifting ice of the Gulf of Ob, as well as from the river current.
The meeting icebreakers greet the one for whom the port was built with menacing and prolonged whistles.
22.
Heading towards the pier.
23.
Getting closer
24.
And closer.
25.
And here he is at the pier - mooring.
26.
It was getting dark.
27.
And here is a little video from our
MOSCOW, June 3 – RIA Novosti. The Arctic gas tanker, the first vessel developed for the Yamal LNG project, was named Christophe de Margerie. The naming ceremony took place in St. Petersburg as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
The ship is named after the French entrepreneur, head of the oil company Total, who died in 2014 in a disaster at Vnukovo airport. The President of Russia, speaking at the ceremony, noted that Christophe de Margerie was a true friend of Russia.
“He had a special strategic vision, did a lot to strengthen friendly and partnership ties with Russia, and contributed to the implementation of a number of large joint projects in the energy sector,” Putin said.
According to him, naming the newest tanker after de Margerie was another symbol of sincere, kind attitude towards this outstanding person and a tribute to his memory.
On the night of October 21, 2014, at Moscow's Vnukovo airport, a Unijet airline Falcon 50EX light aircraft collided with a snowplow during takeoff. In addition to the head of Total, three crew members died in the crash. The driver of the snowplow, Vladimir Martynenko, admitted his guilt in the incident.
Flagship for the Arctic
The President noted that the tanker will become the flagship in a line of 15 ships. All of them are intended for the large-scale Yamal LNG project.
“I would like to note that this project, without exaggeration, is significant not only for our country, and, perhaps, not only for Europe,” Putin said. According to him, this project as a whole will be a significant contribution to the development of global energy.
“It contributes to the successful development of global spaces, creates demand for innovative technologies in the field of hydrocarbon production and transportation, creates jobs in our country and abroad. Yamal LNG plays an important role in the development of the Northern Sea Route and in the development of the Arctic,” added Russian leader.
In addition to the president, the naming ceremony was attended by Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko, Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov, heads of Novatek, Sovcomflot, VTB, Total, as well as Bernadette Jacqueline de Margerie, the widow of the deceased head of Total.
The “godmother” of the ship was Valentina Matvienko, who previously served as governor of St. Petersburg. It was she who broke the traditional bottle of champagne over the side. After this, the ship's signal sounded three times.
Unique vessel
"Christophe de Margerie" became the first of one and a half dozen gas tankers planned to be built for the Yamal LNG project.
The tanker is able to operate at temperatures down to minus 52 degrees and overcome ice up to 2.1 meters thick. Its capacity is more than 170 thousand cubic meters of liquefied natural gas, and the total power of the main diesel engines is comparable to the power of a modern nuclear icebreaker.
The tanker was built taking into account the requirements of the Polar Code and is characterized by high energy efficiency and environmental safety. Along with traditional fuels, the vessel's installation can use stripped liquefied natural gas, which can significantly reduce emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere.
The new tanker’s high ice-breaking ability and exceptional maneuverability were confirmed during ice tests that took place from February 19 to March 8 in the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea. During the tests, the tanker passed through the Northern Sea Route and arrived at the port of Sabetta on the Gulf of Ob.
Special tankers with reinforced ice class Arc7 will allow year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route without icebreaker assistance in a western direction and during the Arctic summer in an eastern direction. The tankers have a dual-action system - the bow part is adapted for navigation in open water and in thin ice conditions, and the stern part is optimized for independent navigation in difficult ice conditions. Speed in open water - 19.5 knots; speed when traveling in ice up to one and a half meters thick is 5.5 knots. The construction of tankers for the Yamal LNG project is carried out by the South Korean shipyard Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering.
A second similar tanker was launched in January. It will be named after Eduard Toll, a Russian geologist and Arctic explorer. As the SeaNews portal reported at the beginning of the year, five more ships of this project will also receive the names of Russian Arctic explorers: Rudolf Samoilovich, Boris Vilkitsky, Fyodor Litke, Vladimir Rusanov and Vladimir Wiese.
Gas from Yamal
The Yamal LNG project with a total capacity of 16.5 million tons per year is being implemented on the resource base of the South Tambeyskoye field. The project's shareholders are Novatek (50.1%), Total (20%), CNPC (20%) and the Silk Road Fund (9.9%).
The first line of the plant is scheduled to be put into operation at the end of this year, and a total of three lines will be built. The Sabetta seaport will provide year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route.
As stated by Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak, the launch of Yamal LNG at full capacity will increase the volume of gas exports by more than 10 percent and increase Russia's share in the global LNG market to 8-9 percent.
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