OREANDA-NEWS. Sovcomflot Group (SCF) bulk carrier NS Yakutia set sail from the port of Murmansk with a cargo of 67,000 tonnes of iron-ore concentrate bound for the Chinese port of Lanshan. The tanker, chartered by Eurochem Trading, is expected to complete the crossing in 40 days, 8 of which will be spent on the Northern Sea Route.

NS Yakutia specifications:

Year of construction: 2013
Deadweight: 75,000 tonnes (approx.)
Ice class: 1B
Length: 225m
Beam size: 32m
Draught: 14m

This crossing marks the sixth of its kind undertaken by SCF via the Northern Sea Route and represents the latest step in Sovcomflot’s programme to develop high-latitude Arctic routes from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

According to the ship’s captain, the Arctic ice conditions are average for this period of navigation. NS Yakutia is crossing the Northern Sea Route under escort from atomic icebreakers Yamal and Taymir (Atomflot).

OAO Novoship (SCF Group) is the technical manager for the crossing and is working in collaboration with specialists from Sovcomflot’s head office and government agencies.

NS Yakutia is equipped with all available means of communication, including a satellite link. The vessel is also fitted with Glonass and GPS navigation systems.

The bulker is captained by Sergey Vasilyev and its crew consists of 21 sailors with experience of navigation in icy conditions.

In 2010, tanker SCF Baltica became the first large-tonnage vessel to complete a high-latitude crossing from the Atlantic to the Pacific. This voyage proved that the use of the Northern Sea Route as a shipping corridor for large-capacity vessels was not only possible, but also economically viable. In 2011, another Sovcomflot tanker, Vladimir Tikhonov, successfully crossed a new deep-water, high-latitude route to the north of the New Siberian Islands Archipelago. This new commercial shipping corridor was subsequently named the Tikhonov Route in honour of Vladimir Tikhonov – ship’s captain, founding member of Sovcomflot and outstanding contributor to the Russian shipping industry. SCF has unique experience of Arctic fleet operations and specialises in projects involving challenging climatic conditions.

NS Yakutia is due to arrive at her port of unloading on 12 October.