The FSUE “Rosmorport” Murmansk Branch pilotage service, represented by 8 highly professional marine pilots, successfully piloted the first technological line (TL-1) of the Arctic LNG-2 plant from July 20 to July 21, 2023.

During pilotage, the structure was removed from dry dock No. 1 of the Center for the Construction of Large Offshore Structures (CCLOS), located in the village of Belokamenka, Murmansk Region, and towed to the exit from the Kola Bay.

TL-1 consists of a gravity-type base on which the upper structure (technological modules) is installed. The structure has a length of almost 332 m, a width of 154 m, a height of more than 30 m. The area of the base of the structure is more than 51 thousand square meters, and the displacement is more than 637 thousand tons.

The solemn shipping-off ceremony was held at the CCLOS, which was specially created for manufacturing, assembling and installing such modules. This is the first plant, which has no analogues in the world, for the serial production of LNG lines on gravity-type bases.

The start of the operation to float the TL-1 out of the dock was given by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Six sea tugs, two multifunctional vessels and eight port tugs were involved in the operation.

In order to successfully carry out pilotage of such a large structure, pilots of the Murmansk Branch specifically participated in preliminary computer modeling of operations on floating the TL-1 out of the dry dock and towing it to the exit from the Kola Bay.

After the successful completion of the operation to float TL-1 out of the Kola Bay, the structure will be towed along the Northern Sea Route to the Utrenneye field on the Gydan Peninsula. The tow order is expected to arrive at its destination in three weeks.