UPDATE: Russia’s Putin calls for producing vessels for Arctic devt

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BOLSHOI KAMEN, Primorsky Region, Sep 1 (PRIME) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on Thursday for enhancing production of vessels at the Far Eastern shipyard Zvezda first of all for domestic needs, to develop Arctic shelf deposits and the Northern Sea Route.

“Certainly, first of all, we should produce vessels for our domestic market, to develop shelf deposits of the Far East and Arctic, to develop the Northern Sea Route as a global transport corridor. We know it well that not only our country, but our neighbors as well have big plans to develop these the most economically efficient way to supply cargoes from Europe to Asia and vice versa,” Putin said while visiting Zvezda shipyard.

The development of civil shipbuilding at Zvezda shipyard and launches of new production capacities is one of the key strategic tasks to strengthen the industrial potential of the Far East, Putin also said.

Oil major Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin said earlier Thursday at a ceremony to launch the shipyard’s first stage that production at Zvezda will start already this year and the pilot order will be delivered in 2019.

“A project to create a modern shipyard complex Zvezda, which moved under a full control of Rosneft last year, is being implemented in three stages. Production of ships will start already this year, and the pilot order is planned to be delivered in 2019,” Sechin said.

The first stage of the shipyard allows for production of supply vessels, tankers and marine facilities, he said.

Rosneft’s unit Rosnefteflot and Zvezda signed on Thursday a contract for design and construction of five tankers on natural gas motor fuel for oil shipments.

Russia’s Independent Petroleum Company, also known as Independent Oil and Gas Company, is considering ordering up to 10 tankers at Zvezda and has held preliminary talks, CEO Eduard Khudainatov said.

Zvezda will build ice-breakers jointly with Dutch-based Damen, drilling platforms with Singapore’s Keppel, and vessel equipment with the U.S.’ General Electric, Sechin said.

Rosneft and South Korea’s Hyundai will sign an agreement at the Eastern Economic Forum on design and engineering support during construction of tankers on natural gas motor fuel at Zvezda.

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