The Gazprom headquarters hosted a working meeting between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Management Committee and Sergey Frank, Director General of Sovcomflot.

The parties discussed cooperation in the marine shipping of liquefied natural gas (LNG). In particular, the meeting addressed the prospects for Sovcomflot to participate in tenders for the charter of ice-breaking LNG carriers to be utilized by Gazprom.

Alexey Miller and Sergey Frank highly appreciated the joint efforts made when arranging the marine shipping of hydrocarbons to Asia-Pacific via the Northern Sea Route (NSR). It was noted that energy resources were shipped significantly faster via the NSR than via the traditional route across the Suez Canal, thus making that delivery method more cost-effective. The parties stressed that both companies would continue their pro-active cooperation.

Background

In June 2013 Gazprom Group represented by Gazprom Marketing and Trading signed with Sovcomflot a Memorandum of Understanding.

In January 2012 Gazprom and Sovcomflot reached the agreement to arrange a test shipment via the Northern Sea Route so as to deliver Gazprom's hydrocarbons to Asia-Pacific markets, taking into account the growing need for energy supplies to the region.

In September 2012 the SCF Amur tanker shipped for the first time Gazprom Neft's petroleum products via a new high-latitude route within the Northern Sea Route (NSR). The tanker passed through the NSR routes in a record time for 2012 summer navigation – 7 days. It was the fourth transit passage for Sovcomflot from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the Arctic.