Gazprom orders four LNG carriers

The vessels are destined for the Shtokman project and will be delivered in 2015 or 2016, Gazprom’s deputy chief Aleksandr Ananenkov announced at a recent meeting attended by Daewoo management.

According to the Moscow Times, Gazprom also plans to order two supply ships at a cost of for a combined two billion rubles ($67 million), the company deputy confirmed.

Meanwhile, Gazprom confirms that the Shtokman project will face delays. As reported recently by BarentsObserver, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister and Head of Gazprom’s Board of Directors, Viktor Zubkov, in a meeting late December said that the Shtokman project start-up will be delayed. He did however not specify any new time for the project launch.

The news from Anenenkov was announced during Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s visit to the Russian Far East last week. The government leader then announced plans for major investments in regional shipyards and infrastructure. Among the projects announced were two major infrastructure projects by the state-run United Shipbuilding Corporation together with foreign partners. Combined investments in the projects will be $700 million Putin said.

According to the new deals, Daewoo will be responsible for the construction of a dry dock at the Zvezda shipyard which will enable the Russian yard to construct tankers and LNG carriers.