Business scope
Sovcomflot is the largest shipping company in Russia and a world leader in energy shipping. The company is focused on offshore services, liquefied gas transportation and the conventional shipping of crude oil and petroleum products.
Sovcomflot services several large-scale oil and gas projects in Russia and abroad. Another of the company’s specialities is operating in harsh environments, including the Arctic. Today, Sovcomflot is the world’s largest owner and operator of ice-class vessels.
Our in-house engineering and a set of advanced technologies are unique for a shipping company, and enable Sovcomflot to satisfy the various requirements of our customers and to provide them with a safe, reliable, and efficient transportation service.
Transportation of crude oil and petroleum products
Sovcomflot is one of the world’s largest tanker owners and operators. The company is the global leader in Aframax tankers and among the leaders in product carriers.
The conventional tanker fleet of Sovcomflot transports crude oil and petroleum products, including benzene, diesel fuel, and heavy fuel oil.
During 2013-2014, Sovcomflot took delivery of two VLCCs, Svet and SCF Shanghai, which became the largest tankers in the history of the Russian commercial fleet.
In 2018, Sovcomflot pioneered the adoption of cleaner-burning LNG as a primary fuel for large-capacity tankers, which allowed to significantly reduce vessel emissions. Today, Sovcomflot has six LNG-fuelled tankers in operation and five more under construction.
LNG and LPG transportation
Sovcomflot became an independent owner and operator of gas carriers in 2006, the first Russian company to successfully establish itself in this shipping segment. Today, the company has 13 gas carriers in operation, including nine LNG carriers and four LPG carriers, with three more LNG carriers under construction.
Key charterers of SCF’s gas carriers include Gazprom; Sakhalin Energy; Shell; Yamal LNG; Sibur, and Tangguh LNG.
In 2009, SCF’s gas carrier Grand Aniva delivered the first trial shipment of LNG produced at Sakhalin-2 plant, the first LNG plant established in Russia. As LNG production at Sakhalin-2 commenced, Russia became a full-fledged member of the club of LNG exporting nations, which at that point included just 15 countries.
In 2017, Sovcomflot took delivery of Christophe de Margerie, a pioneering icebreaking LNG carrier designed to transport LNG for Yamal LNG project year-round in the challenging ice conditions of the Kara Sea and Gulf of Ob. The appearance of Christophe de Margerie signalled the market debut for Yamalmax ships, a new class of vessel. The carrier is capable of sailing independently through ice of up to 2.1 metres thick, and the power of her propulsion system is comparable to the capacity of a modern nuclear-powered icebreaker.
Offshore services
Servicing offshore oil & gas production and exploration in harsh environments is one of the strategic lines of business for SCF Shipping. The company specialises in shuttle transportation of crude oil, supplying and servicing of offshore platforms, management of terminals, and offshore geophysical exploration.
The ability of Sovcomflot to ensure safe and reliable seaborne transportation of oil within harsh environments has become a key element of successful implementation of several large-scale energy projects, such as Sakhalin-1, Sakhalin-2, Varandey, Prirazlomnoye, and Novy Port.
Sovcomflot operates the world’s largest fleet of Arctic shuttle tankers while also being the global leader in icebreaking supply and standby vessels.
Dry cargo transportation
SCF Shipping has two Panamax bulkers in operation, NS Energy and NS Yakutia. These ships operate on the international dry cargo markets, transporting coal, grain, iron ore, and fertilisers.
Both vessels have an ice class, which enables safe operation out of ports in the Gulf of Finland and Canada during the winter. In addition, these vessels have notations from the classification society ENVIRO certifying their high environmental protection standards.
During summer navigation in 2013, NS Yakutia made the first passage across the Northern Sea Route, carrying iron ore concentrate as part of the programme to open up high-latitude Arctic routes between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
