Russia’s Zvezda Shipbuilding has ordered tank designs from French cryogenic containment technology company GTT for 10 ARC7-class ice-breaking LNG carriers
With this most recent order, GTT will provide tank designs for 15 ARC7-class LNG carriers being built at the shipyard. Russian shipowner Sovcomflot (SCF) will own the first in the series and is a joint venture partner with Novatek in Smart LNG, the owner of the other 14 LNG vessels. These will be the first ARC7-class ice-breaking LNG carriers ever built in Russia.
In July, GTT secured the order for the tank designs for the first five vessels in the series. This award was the first under a technical assistance and licence agreement GTT signed with Zvezda, allowing the shipyard to construct the membrane technologies developed by the French company.
With a capacity of 172,600 m3, each ARC7-class LNG carrier will be fitted with a GTT Mark III membrane containment system. A cryogenic membrane technology, Mark III technology has a distinctive design – a combination of stainless steel membrane and polyurethane foam insulation. Technical solutions applied in the technology ensure safe transportation of LNG under cryogenic conditions and minimise the boil-off during transportation.
When delivered between H2 2024 and H2 2025, these ARC7-class LNG carriers will transport cargoes from Arctic LNG 2 for Russian LNG producer Novatek.
GTT’s Mark III technology has received the General Approval for Ship Application (GASA) from the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS).
Under the GASA procedure, RS in close co-operation with GTT reviewed over 70 documents covering membrane tanks design, construction, and service aspects against applicable RS Rules and the IGC Code requirements. RS reviewed the basic methodology for Mark III cargo containment system strength calculations and sloshing loads estimation, as well as testing and repair procedures for structural elements.
RS says the GASA ensures a smooth transition from conceptual LNG ship design to detailed design and class approval.
“The RS approval of the technology developed by our strategic partner GTT opens the door to offer the full scope of services related to the classification of new marine LNG transportation and storage facilities,” said RS director general Konstantin Palnikov.
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