Teekay vessel Eduard Toll is designed to cut through ice and take advantage of the opening of Russia’s Arctic coastline to the industry.
- A new type of LNG tanker is at the forefront.
- They are specially designed to cut through icebergs.
- The Teekay vessel, Eduard Toll is the first commercial vessel to travel in the Russian Coastline.
- A similar kind of ship was developed Sovcomflot in last August.
Named after the famous Russian geologist and explorer Eduard Toll, the newly designed LNG tanker developed by Bermuda-based firm Teekay is proving a milestone in the russian shipping industry. The LNG vessel is the first commercial ship which will traverse through the icy waters of the russian coastline. The ship designed to withstand icy conditions has become the first commercial ship to travel the Arctic’s northern sea route in winter.
The Teekay vessel Eduard Toll set out from South Korea in December for Sabetta terminal in northern Russia, cutting through ice 1.8m thick. Last month, it completed the route, delivering a load of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Montoir, France. Its voyage was captured by the crew in a timelapse video.
To watch video, please click here
Future Investments
Teekay is further investing in six ships which will serve the Yamal LNG project in northern Russia. A similarly designed vessel owned by Sovcomflot made the same passage last August. This small and growing Arctic-ready fleet can operate independently of icebreaker escorts, which are also in high demand.
In January 2018, ice extent hit another record low for the month, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Center. This shows that the arctic ice is gradually diminishing and receding as result of global warming and climate change.
Although the polar conditions are harsh and are dangerous travel these routes yet they offer a much shorter route than the Suez Canal which connects Europe and Asia. Hence, ships built for icy conditions will help in the growth of trade in the coming years.
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Source: Climate Change News
