South Korean shipbuilding giant, Samsung Heavy Industries has concluded a contract with the Russian Zvezda shipyard to build ice-class LNG carriers for the Arctic LNG 2 project. 

According to SHI’s statement, it has been selected as a technological partner to assist Zvezda with the construction of Arctic LNG carriers for the Novatek-led Arctic LNG 2 project and to provide technological support.

Samsung Heavy signed will design LNG carriers that use LNG as primary fuel featuring 45 MW of power capacity, comparable to that of a nuclear icebreaker, and safely carry LNG while breaking ice up to 2.1 meters thick in minus 52 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, on the same day, SHI confirmed the establishment of a joint venture with the aim of assisting Zvezda with constructing shuttle tankers, which demonstrates its willingness to enter into the Russian market.

Samsung Heavy claims to have won 60 out of 138 orders for shuttle tankers placed to date globally, occupying 43 percent of the global market share.