A new vessel has joined the 15-strong tanker fleet operated by Teekay LNG Partners and China LNG Partners and designed to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) through the icy waters of the Northern Sea route from Russia’s natural gas production plant – Yamal LNG.
The Yakov Gakkel, along with the 14 other tankers, will make use of automation company ABB’s icebreaking propulsion system, Azipod.
The Azipod system makes use of an electric drive motor submerged in a pod outside the ship’s hull, which can rotate 360 degrees and increase manoeuvrability. The 170 000 cubic metre tankers were built in less than six years and will be equipped with up to 45MW of propulsion power as they travel through the Yamal peninsula.
“The fuel and emissions-saving capabilities of Azipod electric propulsion have made it the technology of choice for sensitive arctic conditions for almost 30 years, ,” said Juha Koskela, MD of ABB Marine & Ports.
