Zvezda to produce Leader icebreakers mainly from Russian components

VLADIVOSTOK, Sep 5 (PRIME) -- Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex of Russian oil major Rosneft will produce icebreakers of the Leader series almost completely from Russia-made components, Director of Rosneft’s localization department Konstantin Laptev told PRIME on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum on Thursday.

“We can say for sure, (the Leader icebreakers) will be almost fully Russia-made vessels,” he said.

He added that Zvezda will construct the icebreakers using solely its own facilities, and that the construction works will start in 2020.

In 2021, Zvezda will lay down a keel of a pilot gas carrier intended for independent gas producer Novatek’s Arctic LNG-2 (liquefied natural gas) plant. It is also interested in getting an order from Novatek for four more LNG-fueled icebreakers, Laptev also said.

The shipbuilding complex plans to sign contracts for five to eight new vessels until the end of 2019 to expand the current project portfolio of 39 vessels.

Zvezda also plans to participate in a 28.4 billion ruble auction for engineering and construction of two research vessels for the Ministry of Education and Science.

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