An LNG carrier that sustained damage during a Northern Sea Route (NSR) voyage in January has gone into a French shipyard for repairs.
The 172,600-cbm Nikolay Yevgenov (built 2019), which is owned by Teekay LNG and its partner China LNG Shipping Holdings, entered Damen Shiprepair Brest in north-west France on 26 February, Kpler data shows.
The vessel is expected to undergo repair work on its central azipod, which may involve replacing the unit.
Teekay has previously not responded to questions about the ship.
Non-issue
But on Teekay LNG Partners' results call on 25 February, president and chief executive Mark Kremin was asked about expected repairs for the ship.
Kremin confirmed the damage to the azipod and said the vessel would be entering dry dock for repairs, which would be undertaken over the next couple of weeks.
“We’ll get it fixed and we'll put it back up in [Yamal LNG terminal] Sabetta,” he said.
Kremin said he did not expect there to be any liability for the ship’s owners as the vessel is insured and described it as “a non-issue”.
The Nikolay Yevgenov was undertaking a trial voyage through the NSR, travelling in the wake of sistership, Sovcomflot’s Christophe de Margerie (built 2017).
The azipod damage is believed to have occurred to the east of Wrangel Island, where the vessel was observed making a sharp movement.
The ships were the first LNG carriers to navigate the Arctic sea route in January. Previously, the NSR had been closed to large merchant vessels from December into July. But, in 2020, LNG carriers were sent along the route in May in another trial.
After its azipod was damaged, the Nikolay Yevgenov did not ask for assistance and continued its voyage unaided. The vessel discharged its cargo at Tianjin, China, on 28 January.
The Sovcomflot vessel returned westbound through the route to Sabetta with ice-breaker assistance, while the Nikolay Yevgenov took the longer Suez Canal route back to Europe.
Russia wants to see the NSR open to year-round navigation from 2024.
