According to this agreement, the signatories will jointly develop the technical specifications and draw up the list of equipment manufacturers. The shuttle tankers to be built at Zvezda Shipbuilding will be Russian-flagged and will ship oil from Arctic fields.
The number of the tankers will be determined after the technical specifications have been agreed.
Zvezda Shipbuilding and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries joint venture, Zvezda-Hyundai, has also signed a contract with Lazurit Design Bureau to develop the design parameters for Aframaxes using gas as a fuel.
Currently, a series of five Aframax vessels, to be fitted with gas engines, is under construction for Rosnefteflot with steel cutting scheduled for late 2017 and delivery of the first vessel in 2020.
In another move, Zvezda Shipbuilding has signed a term sheet with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) to establishment a joint venture aimed at managing the building of Arctic shuttle tankers.
The joint venture will provide technical support for the construction of Arctic shuttle tankers at Zvezda of various sizes, ranging from 42,000 to 120,000 dwt.
“Co-operation with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) will facilitate the development of advanced shipbuilding technologies at Zvezda Shipbuilding complex,” a company statement said.
Zvezda Shipbuilding complex is being built on the basis of the Zvezda Far Eastern Shipyard by a consortium involving Rosneftegaz, Rosneft and Gazprombank. Zvezda Shipbuilding and HSHI set up an engineering and project management joint venture Zvezda-Hyundai in April, 2017 for technology transfer and ship construction management.
Once completed in 2018, the shipbuilding complex will be able to construct VLCCs, LNGCs of up to 250,000 cu m, Ice Class vessels, specialised ships, having a launch weight of up to 29,000 tonnes, offshore platforms, plus other ship types.