Andrei Aprelenko: Rosnefteflot maintains strong position on the towing services market
Rosnefteflot has perhaps the most powerful and modern harbor tugs fleet in Russia. The company has successfully been operating for over 6 years the country's biggest offshore oil transshipment facility. Rosnefteflot General Director Andrei Aprelenko told about the company’s plans for construction of new tugs and bunkering tankers, as well as the prospects of operation of Belokamenka FSO in a recent interview with PortNews.
- Mr. Aprelenko, please tell us about Rosnefteflot’s fleet
- Today, Rosnefteflot is a modern, dynamic company, which manages 25 ships of various purposes. The vessels are operated by Rosneftflot’s subsidiaries om the regions of Russian Federation: in Sakhalin, Nakhodka, Murmansk and St. Petersburg. In addition, we are currently completing the process of creating our branches in the ports of Ust-Luga and Tuapse.
All vessels of the company’s fleet meet the technical, operational performance and environmental safety requirements.
We are operating at the port of Murmansk the country's largest floating storage and offloading (FSO) vessel - the Belokamenka tanker of deadweight of over 360,000 tons, a tug boat of rated power 2,460 kW and two tugs with rated power 3,729 kW. The tugs are equipped with azimuth thrusters, cranes, bow and stern winches. The tugs are providing safe and reliable service to tankers loaded from Belokamenka FSO. And we cope with this task successfully.
- Mr. Aprelenko, please tell us about Rosnefteflot’s fleet
- Today, Rosnefteflot is a modern, dynamic company, which manages 25 ships of various purposes. The vessels are operated by Rosneftflot’s subsidiaries om the regions of Russian Federation: in Sakhalin, Nakhodka, Murmansk and St. Petersburg. In addition, we are currently completing the process of creating our branches in the ports of Ust-Luga and Tuapse.
All vessels of the company’s fleet meet the technical, operational performance and environmental safety requirements.
We are operating at the port of Murmansk the country's largest floating storage and offloading (FSO) vessel - the Belokamenka tanker of deadweight of over 360,000 tons, a tug boat of rated power 2,460 kW and two tugs with rated power 3,729 kW. The tugs are equipped with azimuth thrusters, cranes, bow and stern winches. The tugs are providing safe and reliable service to tankers loaded from Belokamenka FSO. And we cope with this task successfully.
Our Sakhalin subsidiary operates 6 vessels: the Naftogaz-70, a 5300 kW transport-tug boat, which serves the terminal of Exxon Neftegaz Ltd - the Sakhalin-1 project operator in the port of De Castri, Khabarovsk Territory, and five specialized vessels that provide maintenance of underwater oil and gas pipeline between the Sakhalin Iceland and the mainland.
Nakhodka branch operates 3 vessels with equipment to conduct oil spill response (OSR) operations and carry out emergency rescue preparedness at the oil port and 6 port fleet auxiliary vessels (4 tugs and two inshore boats) servicing cargo carriers that call at the port of Nakhodka.
Currently, the Baltic Sea branch operates our 4 new tugs of capacity of 2,982 kW and 2 tugs of 3,142 kW, equipped with azimuth thrusters, cranes, bow and stern winches, ice class Arc4 (DR-4).
Our tugs fleet is quite young - of 13 tugs 2 were put into operation in 2007, 7 - in 2009 and 2 – this year.
Nakhodka branch operates 3 vessels with equipment to conduct oil spill response (OSR) operations and carry out emergency rescue preparedness at the oil port and 6 port fleet auxiliary vessels (4 tugs and two inshore boats) servicing cargo carriers that call at the port of Nakhodka.
Currently, the Baltic Sea branch operates our 4 new tugs of capacity of 2,982 kW and 2 tugs of 3,142 kW, equipped with azimuth thrusters, cranes, bow and stern winches, ice class Arc4 (DR-4).
Our tugs fleet is quite young - of 13 tugs 2 were put into operation in 2007, 7 - in 2009 and 2 – this year.
- Tell us about your company’s shipbuilding programs?
- First, it should be noted that our company ensures the newbuilding programs of our shareholders - JSC Rosneft and JSC Sovcomflot.
JSC Rosneft is currently implementing the construction of new ships at the facilities of JSC Far East Center of Shipbuilding and Ship Repair, a 100-percent subsidiary of OJSC United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC). The newbuilding program includes construction of two (plus two in option) vessels for environmental services (boom-laying ship, oil skimmer) with a unique design, first implemented in Russia, two (plus two in option) azimuthal ice-class tug boats with rated power 2,575 kW each, two azimuthal ice-class tugs with rated power 4000 kW each, and two (plus one in the option), ice-class tankers with a deadweight of 3,100 tons.
To implement this ambitious shipbuilding program in 2010-2013 the orders will be placed at Russian Far East shipbuilding companies: Khabarovsk Shipyard, Amur Shipyard, Far East Plant Zvezda and the design bureaus Vympel and Ricochet. The ships specifications are fully consistent with the recognized world standards. The total volume of investments, including the optional vessels is estimated at approximately $150 million.
The second shareholder of our company – JSC Sovcomflot, had in October this year 4 tugs (16 609/2 project) completed at the Leningrad Shipyard ‘Pella’ and handed them over to our company. A year earlier, we took delivery of two tugs built in Poland (of Damen ASD Tug 2810 Ice design), three tugs from a Turkey-based Sanmar Denzelink shipyard (two of them of Robert Alan 2800E design and one - of Robert Alan 24/40). The volume of investments by Sovcomflot in these projects amounted to about $ 100 million.
- What do you think about measures taken by the Russian Transport Ministry and USC to advance the bill, aimed at encouraging shipping and shipbuilding industries? Will it help promote your shipbuilding program?
- Undoubtedly, we evaluated the measures positively. The measures proposed in the bill may, to some extent, might effect the competitiveness of the Russian shipbuilding industry. We are actively working with USC and we hope that the enactment of the bill supporting Russian shipping and shipbuilding industry will also promote the development of our shipbuilding program, both the number of ships ordered and their quality. However, we note that the law itself can not solve all the problems of the industry. This is only the beginning of a long and complicated way.
- From 2011 ‘exceptions’ from the MARPOL Convention for bunkering fleet in the Russian ports cease to be valid. Do you think the market of barging will become more free? Are you going to put your fleet on this market?
- The Ministry of Transport has long and repeatedly warned of the imminent termination of the ‘exceptions’. All who are engaged seriously in this activity, I think, have prepared for such a development. But, of course, there are those who will rely on off chance. I think there will be nothing extraordinary on the market on January 1st next year: the major players on the bunker market have been actively preparing for the MARPOL restrictions. Some are building new double-hulled ships, others buy them on the secondary market. Since 2008 Russian oil giants have been entering the business, including JSC Rosneft.
At present, the company Rosnefteflot, thanks to active investment strategy of its shareholders, completes projects for the construction, acquisition, and further commissioning of modern bunkering tankers at the most promising ports.
I hope that in the coming months we will be able to say already about the practical results of our work in this direction.
- What do you think about the formation of a single pilot service in Russia?
- Increased attention to the pilot activities is quite understandable. Because the service ensures the safety of navigation while piloting ships to mooring at the ports or through the straits having its own characteristics. And the pilots know perfectly these features like no other else. Besides, they have, as a rule, an extensive experience as sea captains.
Over ten years, our Nakhodka branch’s pilotage service has been ensuring operation of the oil terminal. And we are pleased to note that as well shipowners as regulatory authorities are satisfied with results of the service.
Regarding the creation of a unified state pilots’ service in our country, we believe that under the circumstances of a prolonged confrontation between the public and private pilots companies, such a decision would be the best.
The conference of non-state pilot organizations “On the state of the pilotage service for ships in the Russian Federation” was attended by representatives of private and public organizations. As a result of heated debate, both sides came to the decision to create a single pilot service in Russia, based on self-regulation principles.
At the same time, it’s clear that we should clearly define the rules of new pilot organizations, the procedures of monitoring and supervision by the authorities, establish tariffs in accordance with the features and conditions of the ports, build a transparent system of relations. It is also necessary to ensure the independence of the pilots from all participants of the port industry - the stevedoring companies, cargo owners, shipowners, etc. If the creation of a single pilot service will help achieve these goals, then all will benefit.
- Let’s go back to your experience in operating the largest in Russia offshore oil transshipment facility. How many ships, such as Belokamenka, are operating today in the world? Is it a problem that the vessel is a single-hulled tanker?
- Offshore oil transshipment facility number 3, which is based on Belokamenka FSO was launched in 2004 by order of "Rosneft" and has successfully operated for over 6 years. For the Russian marine business it is a unique project, because until that time, no one in Russia was ever engaged in the transshipment of crude oil through a floating storage and offloading facility of this size. While the world’s FSOs have been operating for decades, and such facilities for relatively small crude transshipment volume are considered the most cost-effective.
According to some reports there are more than 80 permanent FOS facilities in the world, 70% of them - are vessels converted from single hull tankers. It should be noted that, in accordance with the MARPOL International Convention (more precisely, the application 32 of MEPC Resolution.139 (53) dated 22.07.2005, and Annex 3 of MEPC Resolution.142 (54) from 24.03.2006) the double hull requirements to oil tankers are not applied to FOSs because they do not ship oil, and are operated as fixed offshore storage facilities (terminals) in designated anchorage.
Regarding the creation of a unified state pilots’ service in our country, we believe that under the circumstances of a prolonged confrontation between the public and private pilots companies, such a decision would be the best.
The conference of non-state pilot organizations “On the state of the pilotage service for ships in the Russian Federation” was attended by representatives of private and public organizations. As a result of heated debate, both sides came to the decision to create a single pilot service in Russia, based on self-regulation principles.
At the same time, it’s clear that we should clearly define the rules of new pilot organizations, the procedures of monitoring and supervision by the authorities, establish tariffs in accordance with the features and conditions of the ports, build a transparent system of relations. It is also necessary to ensure the independence of the pilots from all participants of the port industry - the stevedoring companies, cargo owners, shipowners, etc. If the creation of a single pilot service will help achieve these goals, then all will benefit.
- Let’s go back to your experience in operating the largest in Russia offshore oil transshipment facility. How many ships, such as Belokamenka, are operating today in the world? Is it a problem that the vessel is a single-hulled tanker?
- Offshore oil transshipment facility number 3, which is based on Belokamenka FSO was launched in 2004 by order of "Rosneft" and has successfully operated for over 6 years. For the Russian marine business it is a unique project, because until that time, no one in Russia was ever engaged in the transshipment of crude oil through a floating storage and offloading facility of this size. While the world’s FSOs have been operating for decades, and such facilities for relatively small crude transshipment volume are considered the most cost-effective.
According to some reports there are more than 80 permanent FOS facilities in the world, 70% of them - are vessels converted from single hull tankers. It should be noted that, in accordance with the MARPOL International Convention (more precisely, the application 32 of MEPC Resolution.139 (53) dated 22.07.2005, and Annex 3 of MEPC Resolution.142 (54) from 24.03.2006) the double hull requirements to oil tankers are not applied to FOSs because they do not ship oil, and are operated as fixed offshore storage facilities (terminals) in designated anchorage.
Belokamenka FOS was constructed by Rosnefteflot and the Norwegian company Bergesen on an equal footing using the tanker Berge Pioneer (built in 1980) and the most advanced at that time Japanese technology. And today, in some aspects the vessel can compete with the technical solutions of modern ships. For example, bottom and side plating of the vessel is made of stainless steel with a thickness of 29 mm. The vessel’s structural strength exceeds the overall strength of modern double-hulled tankers of comparable tonnage. Systems and the ship’s machinery have a large safety margin (for example, the main boilers have a 100-percent margin).
FSO Belokamenka was certified by the Norwegian classification society Det Norseke Veritas (DNV) for 15-year offshore operation, subject to annual underwater hull surveys. To obtain such approval the ship’s hull was reinforced before her arrival to the Kola Bay. Earlier, the ship was operated by a first-class international operator of tankers - Norway's Bergesen that always maintained the tanker’s CAP1 «as new” class.
Annual underwater inspection of the tanker hull in the presence of inspectors of the Russian Register and DNV confirms her good condition and the virtual absence of corrosive wear in the cold waters of the Kola Bay. Today, the thickness of the hull of Belokamenka FSO match designed thicknesses within margin of error of measuring instruments.
The vessel has segregated ballast tanks, that is the ballast system is isolated from the cargo system and on-board ballast tanks alternate with the cargo tanks. All on-board cargo tanks have on the outside two powerful pneumatic fenders of diameter of 3,5 m.
It is known that the main cause of accidents is human error, and navigation conditions. In order to reduce these risk factors it was developed and implemented on the FSO a special regulation of the terminal, a towing service, providing a permanent deployment of two azimuthal tugs of capacity of about 5,000hp for mooring operations and immediate response to emergency situations at the terminal.
In conjunction with the CCTV system and a specially designed scheme of organizing the loading of oil tanks, the above measures minimize the potential risks of oil spills.
- How much oil has been transshipped through Belokamenka tanker during her operation? What is the outlook of the facility?
- Over the 6-year period of operation more than 60 million tons of crude oil have been shipped from Belokamenka FSO, of which more than 30 million tons - for export. In the past 11 months of the year the facility transshipped 11.8 million tons of oil, by the year-end there will be more than 15 million tons.
During this same period, there were about 2,000 ships charged from the board of Belokamenka, of which more than 300 were export crude carriers of 100,000 dwt, which paid over $ 13m of port fees.
We are confident that over the next 2-3 years FSO Belokamenka has a guaranteed oil volume not less than the previous volume of transshipment. These figures point to the importance of the oil terminal Belokamenka.
We should not forget that during the Belokamenka oil terminal operation there have been more than 20 million rubles spent for the purchase of special equipment for OSR. At present, the company Rosnefteflot together with Murmansk emergency response service now completed on the western shore of the Kola Bay modern OSER bases, which can boast the best equipment in the region. Currently, 3 new tugs provide services for Belokamenka FSO. The multipurpose vessels are upgraded to participate effectively in emergency response operations to eliminate oil spills and extinguish the fire on offshore facilities. Additional investment in the safety measures has totaled $1.5 million. I believe that the implementation of these measures will not only ensure a high level of safe operation of Belokamenka FSO, but will also increase preparedness for emergency response at all potentially dangerous facilities, located in the Kola Bay.
- How do you evaluate an onshore terminal project for transshipment of oil to Murmansk?
Plans and implementation of a large-scale project to build the onshore terminal ‘Murmansk Transport Hub’ is directly related to the signing of an agreement to establish in a region of special economic port zones. Attracting investment, creation of special tax conditions for companies-investors, all this should give a new spur to the Murmansk region development. The region puts its hopes on the project and there is every reason to believe that the strategic plans will be implemented. Actually, port of Murmansk is one of the unique ports of the Russian Federation thanks to its geographical location, climatic conditions and depths, allowing the port to accommodate large vessels.
We, in turn, expect production of new deposits and increase in volume of oil transshipment in the Kola Bay. Having a unique experience of trouble-free efficient operation of Belokamenka FSO since 2004, we consider our work in the region promising.
FSO Belokamenka was certified by the Norwegian classification society Det Norseke Veritas (DNV) for 15-year offshore operation, subject to annual underwater hull surveys. To obtain such approval the ship’s hull was reinforced before her arrival to the Kola Bay. Earlier, the ship was operated by a first-class international operator of tankers - Norway's Bergesen that always maintained the tanker’s CAP1 «as new” class.
Annual underwater inspection of the tanker hull in the presence of inspectors of the Russian Register and DNV confirms her good condition and the virtual absence of corrosive wear in the cold waters of the Kola Bay. Today, the thickness of the hull of Belokamenka FSO match designed thicknesses within margin of error of measuring instruments.
The vessel has segregated ballast tanks, that is the ballast system is isolated from the cargo system and on-board ballast tanks alternate with the cargo tanks. All on-board cargo tanks have on the outside two powerful pneumatic fenders of diameter of 3,5 m.
It is known that the main cause of accidents is human error, and navigation conditions. In order to reduce these risk factors it was developed and implemented on the FSO a special regulation of the terminal, a towing service, providing a permanent deployment of two azimuthal tugs of capacity of about 5,000hp for mooring operations and immediate response to emergency situations at the terminal.
In conjunction with the CCTV system and a specially designed scheme of organizing the loading of oil tanks, the above measures minimize the potential risks of oil spills.
- How much oil has been transshipped through Belokamenka tanker during her operation? What is the outlook of the facility?
- Over the 6-year period of operation more than 60 million tons of crude oil have been shipped from Belokamenka FSO, of which more than 30 million tons - for export. In the past 11 months of the year the facility transshipped 11.8 million tons of oil, by the year-end there will be more than 15 million tons.
During this same period, there were about 2,000 ships charged from the board of Belokamenka, of which more than 300 were export crude carriers of 100,000 dwt, which paid over $ 13m of port fees.
We are confident that over the next 2-3 years FSO Belokamenka has a guaranteed oil volume not less than the previous volume of transshipment. These figures point to the importance of the oil terminal Belokamenka.
We should not forget that during the Belokamenka oil terminal operation there have been more than 20 million rubles spent for the purchase of special equipment for OSR. At present, the company Rosnefteflot together with Murmansk emergency response service now completed on the western shore of the Kola Bay modern OSER bases, which can boast the best equipment in the region. Currently, 3 new tugs provide services for Belokamenka FSO. The multipurpose vessels are upgraded to participate effectively in emergency response operations to eliminate oil spills and extinguish the fire on offshore facilities. Additional investment in the safety measures has totaled $1.5 million. I believe that the implementation of these measures will not only ensure a high level of safe operation of Belokamenka FSO, but will also increase preparedness for emergency response at all potentially dangerous facilities, located in the Kola Bay.
- How do you evaluate an onshore terminal project for transshipment of oil to Murmansk?
Plans and implementation of a large-scale project to build the onshore terminal ‘Murmansk Transport Hub’ is directly related to the signing of an agreement to establish in a region of special economic port zones. Attracting investment, creation of special tax conditions for companies-investors, all this should give a new spur to the Murmansk region development. The region puts its hopes on the project and there is every reason to believe that the strategic plans will be implemented. Actually, port of Murmansk is one of the unique ports of the Russian Federation thanks to its geographical location, climatic conditions and depths, allowing the port to accommodate large vessels.
We, in turn, expect production of new deposits and increase in volume of oil transshipment in the Kola Bay. Having a unique experience of trouble-free efficient operation of Belokamenka FSO since 2004, we consider our work in the region promising.
Interviewed by Nadezhda Malysheva