Arctic tankers will carry Russian flag
Sovkomflot plans to register five new vessels in Sankt Petersburg by 2009. They will all carry the Russian flag and will be engaged in oil transportation from Varandey and Prilazlomnoe fields in the Arctic.
Experts believe that the registration of the ships in Russia is solely due to political reasons, Rbc.ru reports. The carrying of the Russian tricolor will show the world that Russia is present in the Arctic. The move comes despite the fact that conditions for a major return of Russian vessels to the Russian ship register is not prepared for.
One of the tankers is already undergoing icebreaking tests; the others are still under construction in Russian and foreign shipyards.
Yesterday, at a meeting between the governor of St.Petersburg –Valentina Matvienko – and Sergey Frank, Sovkomflot CEO, shipping company announced that by 2009 five tankers would be registered in Russian International Register of Vessels, flying the state flag of RF with their home port in St. Petersburg.
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Sovcomflot looks towards Shtokman BarentsObserver, 24 March 2008
