Japan Gets First Yamal Cargo via Northern Sea Route

Russian Novatek July 24 said it has shipped the first LNG cargo from the Yamal LNG project to Japan eastbound via the Northern Sea Route.

The LNG cargo was delivered by the LNG tanker Vladimir Rusanov under a spot contract and unloaded at the Ohgishima LNG terminal in Japan as per schedule. This LNG cargo is Novatek’s first successful experience of entering and unloading an Arc 7 ice-class LNG tanker in a Japanese port, which allows the company to increase the volume of LNG supplies to this country, it said.

“We focus a significant amount of attention to develop and enhance the logistical scheme for our LNG projects,” said Lev Feodosyev, Novatek’s first deputy chairman.  “The future launch of a transshipment terminal in Kamchatka will significantly expand our opportunities to cost competitively deliver and supply LNG to the entire Asia-Pacific region.”

Yamal LNG project has three trains with a nameplate capacity of 16.5mn metric tons/year, although its actual output has exceeded this.