In early March, the first of four new heavy-duty, ice-class port tugs built for the Sakhalin II Project arrived to Korsakov port at Prigorodnoye.

Svitzer Sakhalin is the first of four tugs charted by Sakhalin Energy for port operations in Prigorodnoye under a contract awarded to Svitzer Wijsmuller Sakhalin Ltd.

The heavy-duty, ice-class tugs operated by 100% Russian crews will be used to service Sakhalin II’s liquified natural gas (LNG) and oil export terminals which are located in Aniva Bay, in the south of Sakhalin Island.

The tugs will carry out ship berthing, buoy maintenance, ice channel breaking and ice management works in Aniva Bay, helping to facilitate year-round oil and gas exports.

Aniva Bay remains largely ice-free throughout the year making it the ideal, year-round, export location for the Sakhalin II Project. The LNG and oil produced by the Sakhalin II Project will be exported to customers in the Asia-Pacific onboard LNG and oil tankers.

The newly designed tugs will have the ability to break ice at a minimum of 3 knots and when operating in pairs, will be able to break a channel wide enough for the tankers calling at the terminal.

The Svitzer Sakhalin is 34.5 metres long, with 6,500 horse power giving a bollard pull of 70 tonnes. It is capable of 12 knots at maximum speed.