en.Wedoany.com Reported - Russia has held a naming ceremony for its second domestically built Arc7-class liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, naming it 'Konstantin Posyet' to support year-round transportation along the Northern Sea Route (NSR).

The naming ceremony took place on June 18 at the Zvezda shipbuilding complex in Bolshoy Kamen, located in Russia's Far East. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, along with senior officials from Sovcomflot, VEB.RF, and Rosneft, attended the ceremony remotely.

The vessel is operated by Sovcomflot under a long-term charter with Arctic LNG 2, flies the Russian flag, and is registered in St. Petersburg. The hull is specifically designed for harsh Arctic conditions, capable of independent navigation through ice up to 2.1 meters thick without icebreaker support. Its primary mission is to transport LNG from Arctic projects such as Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG 2 to global markets.

The 'Konstantin Posyet' is the second vessel in this series of Arc7-class LNG carriers. The first, 'Alexey Kosygin', was delivered in December 2025 and completed ice trials during the 2026 winter navigation season.

Sergey Frank, Chairman of Sovcomflot, stated that the naming marks the start of serial production for a new fleet of Arctic carriers intended for regular operations on the Northern Sea Route, representing a significant milestone for Russian shipbuilding. The vessel is named after Admiral Konstantin Posyet, a historical figure associated with the development of Russia's Far East transport system and early railway expansion.

The Arctic LNG carrier program initially planned for up to 21 vessels. Early construction involved cooperation with South Korean shipyards, with Samsung Heavy Industries delivering five hulls before the project was halted, while other hulls related to Hanwha Ocean could not be delivered due to sanctions restrictions. Since then, Russia has increased its reliance on domestic shipbuilding at the Zvezda complex. The expansion of Arc7 carriers is crucial to Russia's Arctic LNG strategy, especially given Western sanctions limiting access to foreign shipbuilding services and technology.

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