Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex started construction the tanker Aframax for PJSC Sovcomflot. The ceremony of the first metal cutting for units of the prospective vessel was in hull production workshop. The cutting is realizing on the high-technology gas-plasma working machine. This is the 6th tanker, which will be gone on the shipyard. In total, there is a series of 12 tankers of the Aframax type in the order book of the Zvezda complex. At the moment, 4 of them are under construction at the shipyard. The flagman ship of the series was launched in May 2020 and is undergoing mooring tests.
Agreement for construction of two crude oil-tankers with their subsequent long-term chartering was concluded by and between PJSC “NK “Rosneft”, Zvezda SSK, LLC, Arctic Leasing, LLC (a VEB-Leasing Group Company) and SKF ECO LLC (a Sovkomflot Group Company) in September, 2018 in the framework of Eastern Economic Forum IV. Schedule date of handing over the first tanker to customer is 2022.
Zvezda is outfitted by high-tech machining technique, allowing to produce these technologically-difficult large-range vessels. High-precision methods of marking out, welding and metal cutting, including laser, and also 3D-model operation are applied on the most advanced shipyard in Russia.
With the dimensions of 250 m length, 44 m width, and 114 000 tonnes deadweight, Aframax tankers will be the 1st vessels of this type built in Russia. Equipped with the most advanced Class A automation system, green Aframax tankers are designed to transport crude oil in an unlimited navigation area thanks to the propulsion machinery that can run on LNG in accordance with high environmental standards.
