Launching of a new arctic shuttle tanker

The launching and naming ceremony for a new tanker Mikhail Ulyanov - the first ship in the series of Arctic shuttle tankers of 70,000 dwt ordered by Sovcomflot in St. Petersburg - took place at the Admiralty Shipyards on 31 October 2008. For the first time such unique vessels are being constructed at Russia's shipbuilding yards. Arctic shuttle tankers have been specially designed to transport oil by sea from Russian offshore oil fields in the Arctic, and have been chartered out to Sevmorneftegaz (a subsidiary of Gazprom) for a long-term time-charter. All the tankers of the series will be registered in the Russian International Register of Shipping and will be operated under the State flag of the Russian Federation.

The launching and naming ceremony for a new tanker Mikhail Ulyanov – the first ship in the series of Arctic shuttle tankers of 70,000 dwt ordered by Sovcomflot in St. Petersburg – took place at the Admiralty Shipyards on 31 October 2008. For the first time such unique vessels are being constructed at Russia’s shipbuilding yards. Arctic shuttle tankers have been specially designed to transport oil by sea from Russian offshore oil fields in the Arctic, and have been chartered out to Sevmorneftegaz (a subsidiary of Gazprom) for a long-term time-charter. All the tankers of the series will be registered in the Russian International Register of Shipping and will be operated under the State flag of the Russian Federation.

The event was attended by Valentina Matvienko, the Governor of St. Petersburg; Aleksandr Avdeyev, the Minister of Culture; Sergey Shishkarev, the Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Transport; Vladimir Pakhomov, the President of the United Shipbuilding Corporation; by representatives of Sovcomflot and Sevmorneftegaz.

For the first time in Russia’s modern history a ship was named after a prominent Russian theatre and cinema actor. It is rather symbolic that a famous actress and the People’s Artiste of the USSR – Yuliya Borisova, who worked with Mikhail Ulyanov in the Vakhtangov State Academy Theatre for a long time, was invited to be the Godmother of the ship.

It has become a good tradition to name the Group’s vessels after famous Russian citizens whose life and work were devoted to Russia, and the arctic shuttle tanker Mikhail Ulyanov joined the series of “personalized” ships.

Unique technological solutions which can be used for implementing oil and gas offshore projects in the Arctic and Far-Eastern seas were applied for the construction of Mikhail Ulyanov. The sips of the series are being built in accordance with the Rules of Dual Registry of the Russian Registry of Shipping and Lloyd’s Register. Arctic shuttle tankers apply the principle of double action, using an ice-breaking stern and a bow for open water. The tankers are equipeed with two Azipod propulsion units (a 360° rotary azimuth electric steering complex), by a dynamic positioning system for use in ice, bow loading system and a helicopter pad. The ships can navigate, breaking ice of up to 1.2 metere thick without an icebreaker escort. Their length is 257 metres, breadth mouldedd is 34 metres and the draft is 14 metres.

Building of such hi-tech vessels at Russia’s shipyard by the order of Sovcomflot – the largest Russian shipping company – to operate in the Russian oil and gas project is a clear indication that the industrial and transport potential of Russia is reviving.

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Admiralty Shipyards is the oldest shipyard in Russia, established by Peter the Great on 5 November 1704. Today the yards are engaged in the design, constuction and in modernisation of merchant marine vessels, as well as in construction and rebuilding of ships for the Navy. During three centuries, more than 2,600 ships have been built by the Admiralty Shipyards.


Mikhail Aleksandrovich Ulyanov (20.11.1927 – 26.03.2007)– the National Actor of the USSR, the Lenin Prize Winner, the Secretary of the Board of the USSR Cinema Union, the Chairman of the Theatre Worker’s Union of Russia, Member of the Parliament, Art Director of the State Academy Theatre named after Vakhtangov (1987 – 2007) – these are the milestones of the biography of this famous son of his Motherland, a talented actor and a great man.

Ulyanov created a huge gallery of historic figures at the Vakhtangov Theatre scene, where he worked for over 50 years. Mikhail Ulyanov was a true hero of his time.

The roles he played were impressive and natural. His unique actor’s temper contributed a lot to films directed by Saltykov and Panfilov, by Rayzman and Mikhalkov, by Solovyev and Govorukhin.

The name of Mikhail Ulyanov, the honorary citizen of the Omsk Region, was given to the State Northern Drama Theatre of Omsk.

Go to Index of # 4(26) 2008