Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dmitry Kobylkin visited SCF headquarters
On 5 July 2018 Dmitry Kobylkin, the Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, made a working visit to the headquarters of PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group) in St. Petersburg.
During the visit the Minister met Igor Tonkovidov, Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of PAO Sovcomflot. SCF says the parties focused particular attention on matters relating to the use of modern technologies to improve the environmental safety of shipping, as well as enhancing the interaction between the Ministry and maritime transport operators to ensure that the vessels receive up-to-date hydrometeorological data.
Dmitry Kobylkin expressed special interest in Sovcomflot’s initiative to switch to using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the primary fuel for large-capacity Aframax tankers. This class of tankers are some of the most versatile vessel sizes in today’s shipping industry. They are suitable for most of Russia’s export terminals and, as such, are in the highest demand for export shipments of Russian oil.
The Minister praised the company’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of maritime transport.
As part of the visit, Igor Tonkovidov familiarised Dmitry Kobylkin with the company’s state-of-the-art training centre specialised in training crews in safe operating procedures within the extreme environments of the Arctic and Subarctic seas. The centre’s simulators offer the opportunity to practice the entire range of maritime operations, including navigation in high latitudes, ice navigation, both independently and with icebreaker assistance, the servicing of oil platforms, approaching ice-resistant berths, etc. In addition to Group employees, SCF’s training centre provides training for employees of other shipping companies operating in the Russian Arctic region.
PAO Sovcomflot (SCF Group) is Russia’s largest shipping company, as well as a global leader in the maritime transportation of hydrocarbons and the servicing of offshore oil and gas exploration and production. The company’s own and chartered fleet includes 146 vessels with a total deadweight of 12.6 million tonnes. Half of the vessels have an ice class.
Sovcomflot is involved in servicing large oil and gas projects in Russia and around the world: Sakhalin-1; Sakhalin-2; Varandey; Prirazlomnoye; Novy Port; Yamal LNG, and Tangguh (Indonesia). The company is headquartered in Saint Petersburg, with offices in Moscow, Novorossiysk, Murmansk, Vladivostok, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, London, Limassol, and Dubai.
