On December 8, 2017 Russian President Vladimir Putin started the filling of the first gas tanker with gas at the Yamal LNG plant. Under the order of the head of state, fuel has started to come to reservoirs of the Christophe de Margerie world’s first LNG tanker of Arc7 Ice Class.

During the ceremony, Vladimir Putin stressed the significance of such projects in performing tasks that the country faced in the exploration of the Arctic Region and the Northern Sea Route.

“As of now, the route to the East operates for six or seven months a year and the route to the West works all the year round. With the icebreaker fleet I’ve just spoken about – and it is being built and commissioned – one of the vessels of 60 MW with its capacity is going to be commissioned. Then by developing these projects supplies will be delivered round the year. This signifies the exploration of the sea route by Russia in the midterm and in the long run. All these factors are interrelated and ensure the development of Russia and the future of its economy,” Vladimir Putin said.

Under the project, FSUE “Rosmorport” builds federal ownership facilities, i.e. seaway and approach canals, waters area of the seaport, ice protection structures, the navigation safety system, aids to navigation, administrative and engineering buildings.

This is a unique project as the entire infrastructure is being built from scratch in the Arctic Climate Zone.

As a result of the dredging operations, a seaway canal of 49 km in length, an approach canal of 6 km in length and the water area of the seaport of 138 ha in space have been formed in the seaport of Sabetta. These depths allow 300-meter gas tankers of 12 m in draft to call at the seaport round the year.

The priority of the construction of the seaport is to create an alternative navigational route directly from the gas extraction and processing spot entering the Northern Sea Route in order to deliver liquefied natural gas and gas condensate to trade partners in Europe and Asia. The South Tambey field, which was opened in 1974 and is situated in the north-east of Yamal Peninsula, is the resource base to implement the project.