Sovcomflot to take delivery of SCF La Perouse

Russian state-controlled shipowner Sovcomflot (SCF) is set to receive the 174,000m³ SCF La Perouse — the first of three LNG tankers on order with South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).

Delivery of the SCF La Perouse brings the number of SCF's so-called "Atlanticmax" LNG carriers to five.

The firms conducted a naming ceremony for the vessel at the Samho shipyard on 4 February, with SCF listing the vessel delivery date for the SCF La Perouse as today.

SCF has tied the LNG carrier to a long-term charter with Total, which also holds a term charter on the 172,600m³ Christophe de Margerie — the first of the 16.5mn t/yr Yamal LNG project's Arc7 ice-class LNG tankers.

The firm is scheduled to receive two more such vessels — Hulls 8007 and 8008 — from HHI in the second half of 2020, SCF said. Hull 8008 had previously been expected in the first half of 2021. SCF has signed long-term charters for both vessels with Shell.

SCF also has five more Arc7 LNG vessels on the order book with the Rosneft-led Zvezda shipyard for the Novatek-led 19.8mn t/yr Arctic LNG 2 project, with delivery scheduled for 2023.

By Samuel Good