Massive Towage Operation of the First Line of the "Arctic LNG 2" Plant Involving Eight Pilots and Fourteen Tugs
February 13, 2025

To tow the first technological line of the "Arctic LNG 2" plant from the Large-Scale Marine Structures Construction Center (LSMSC) in the Murmansk region, a team of 8 experienced pilots from the Murmansk branch of the State-owned Federal Enterprise "Rosmorport" was involved. The operation, carried out on July 20-21, 2023, included the removal of the structure from dry dock No. 1 of LSMSC and its towage through the Kola Bay.

Prior to the operation, comprehensive computer modeling was conducted to plan the safe extraction of TL-1 from the dock and its smooth exit from the bay. The operation involved six sea tugs, two multifunctional vessels, and eight port tugs.

The platform with the first technological line is expected to reach its destination near the "Utrenneye" field on the Gydan Peninsula in about three weeks.

TL-1 is a colossal structure with a gravity-based foundation, on which technological modules are installed. The overall dimensions of the platform are: length – 332 meters, width – 154 meters, height – more than 30 meters. The platform's base area exceeds 51,000 square meters, and its displacement is over 637,000 tons.

The projected capacity of the "Arctic LNG 2" plant, consisting of three technological lines, is 19.8 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per year, as well as up to 1.6 million tons of stable gas condensate per year. The main shareholder of the project is the company "Novatek".