Beluga Shipping Masters First Commercial Transit of the Northeast-Passage
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Corporate focus Beluga Shipping masters first commercial transit of the Northeast-Passage History was written in global merchant shore through the Bering Sea, the Bering one more innovative approach of making shipping during August and September Strait, the Laptev Sea, the Vilkizki Strait shipping more efficient by following the 2009 when two multipurpose heavy lift and the Kara Sea instead of taking the direct seaway between Europe and Asia carriers under the flag of Beluga Shipping long way round. As positive side effect, as well as creating access to an economic GmbH successfully mastered the premiere environmentally harmful emissions were area in Siberia that bears enormous trade in the commercial transit of the legendary significantly reduced: “We can use the potentials yet seemed locked for so long. Northeast-Passage from Asia to Europe. Northeast-Passage only because of the Modern ice hardened vessels, experienced MV “Beluga Fraternity” and MV “Beluga effects of global warming, yet by doing so seafarers, in-house meteorologists, a Foresight” delivered various heavy lift we reduce the bunker consumption and committed department “Health, Safety, modules from Ulsan, South Korea, cut down emissions. With regard to the Security & Environment”, an own future- straight to Novyy Port / Yamburg at the global CO2-balance this is a beneficial oriented department for “Research & River Ob in Siberia, exited the so called achievement”, Niels Stolberg explains. Innovation”, engaged chartering experts: Northern Sea Route by passing Nowaya Beluga Shipping already had tilled the Semlja and took on the hook up project No other foreign merchant vessels had field, ready to cast off and make history by loading steel pipes in Archangelsk and formerly sailed this sea route nor has any happen. Detailed preparations started delivering them to Nigeria. Connecting even been allowed to try by the Russian immediately, schemes were designed, continents is nothing new in the world of government. In earlier times explorers contacts made – this diary shows, how the shipping – doing so by utilising the short fought their way through the thick ice. innovative project “Commercial Transit of cut through the Arctic Ocean, however, is Since the late 15th century first attempts the Northeast-Passage” developed from a real breakthrough. were made to find a short all-water route the first idea to the successful finish: from Europe mainly to China yet it was Sailing the route which is newly open not before 1878/79 that Swedish explorer Spring 2008: The Northeast-Passage for a short time frame in summer due to Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld accomplished the is declared open and navigable for global warming and melting ice shaves off first full traverse. Later, since the early commercial purposes – a time frame of some 3,000 nautical miles from the about 19th century, the former USSR established six to eight weeks in summer comes into 11,000 miles long traditional journey a shipping lane through the Northern Sea consideration through the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Route to explore resources in the remote June 2008: Beluga Shipping works out a Aden. “By using the Northern Sea Route interior or to build up, supply and maintain plan to send the MV “Beluga Foresight” we could reduce the bunker consumption strategic military posts. The Russian ice through the Northeast-Passage in August of the used low sulphur Intermediate Fuel breaker fleet kept the passage navigable 2008 with project cargo on board Oil 380 by roughly 200 tons in total per when required. This has been necessary August 2008: The ambitious intention vessel. This resulted in financial savings for centuries and decades and sailing has to be postponed, since the necessary of about 100,000 US-Dollars alone for through the Northeast-Passage without approvals from Russia are not procurable bunker costs with Beluga F-class vessels ice breaker assistance has never been in due course to use the short time frame plus 20,000 US-Dollars daily for each reasonable. – instead MV “Beluga Foresight” takes day travelling the Northeast-Passage the traditional route from Rotterdam shortens the usual voyage time”, says Then, in 2007 and 2008 reports (Netherlands) through the Suez Canal to Niels Stolberg, President and CEO of suggested that regular shipping through Yangpu (China) Beluga Shipping GmbH, the Bremen this inhospitable area, long a seafarer’s September 2008: In the Beluga (Germany)-based world market leader dream, could become reality. Satellite Headquarters in Bremen the effort is in project and heavy lift shipping that is pictures revealed that melting ice during concentrated on making the innovative behind this innovative project. All in all, summer opens the way. This was the journey happen at the next earliest about 300,000 US-Dollars per vessel time when in the Beluga headquarters possibility were saved by transiting the formerly ice in Bremen Niels Stolberg thought that January 2009 and March 2009: Beluga packed route along the North Russian transiting the Northeast-Passage could be experts travel to Moscow in order to enter personal talks with Russian administration authorities and learn more about the requirements for an efficiently target- aimed process of approval April 2009: The written form of application for the official permit to transit the Northern Sea Route is handed in on behalf of Beluga Shipping GmbH July 2009: The MV “Beluga Fraternity” and the MV “Beluga Foresight” call at Ulsan, South Korea, where they are loaded with in all 44 heavy lift components destined for the construction of a water power plant in Surgut, Siberia 23rd of July 2009: The MV “Beluga Fraternity” casts off, setting course on Russia 25th of July 2009: The MV “Beluga Fraternity” arrives at Vladivostok where the captain drops anchor outer roads 28th of July 2009: The MV “Beluga Foresight” departs from Ulsan with the same direction like her sister vessel 30th of July 2009: The MV “Beluga Foresight” moors at Vladivostok in the range of sight to the MV “Beluga Fraternity” – late in the evening, Russian port and custom authorities come on board of MV “Beluga Fraternity”: all certificates and documents are inspected, the safety equipment, the machinery and the bridge checked – the vessel is declared in ideal shape and qualified to travel the Northern Sea Route 1st of August 2009: The clearance of MV “Beluga Foresight” goes ahead with the same success During August 2009: Maintenance work is the daily duty of the crews of both vessels 21st of August 2009: The Russian Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Defence, the Secret Service and finally the Russian Government all approve of the Beluga-application, all documents are signed and stamped: Beluga is being with about one meter thickness in sight again consistently granted official permission to use the – The ice breaker hire was handled as 7th of September 2009: At 7.54am local Northern Sea Route – the same day both a regular service component included in time (UTC +6) the anchor of MV “Beluga Beluga vessels depart from Vladivostok the “Charterers Agreement”, it has been Fraternity” is dropped at the port of – next port of destination is Novyy Port / arranged that the client covers the costs destination Novyy Port / Yamburg – only Yamburg at the River Ob in Siberia – the for ice breaker assistance a few hours later the discharging of the Beluga meteorologists have access to up- 4th of September 2009: At the entrance 200 to 300 tons heavy items begins – the to-date satellite pictures and analyse the to the Vilkizki Strait, the most northerly power plant modules are discharged with ice situation very professionally on a daily spot of the passage, ice breaker “Rossia” own crane gear offshore onto barges to basis; they provide the captains with daily enlarges the convoy: the order now is be delivered further up River Ob to Surgut routing suggestions avoiding ice contact 1. “50 Let Pobedy”, 2. MV “Beluga – in the meantime, the MV “Beluga as best as possible to minimize the risk Fraternity”, 3. “Rossia”, 4. MV “Beluga Foresight” arrives at Novyy Port / Yamburg 31st of August 2009: The Russian ice Foresight” – in the afternoon the vessels and moors in position for discharging breaker “50 Let Pobedy” awaits the encounter the biggest ice rests of the 10th of September 2009: “Discharging Beluga vessels at the meeting point on entire journey with a concentration of up completed” they say on board MV 70° 20’ North 170° 00’ East – the same to 50 percent – navigating with utmost “Beluga Fraternity”, the vessel sets sail afternoon the captains for the first time precaution brings them safely through this again – due to bad weather with heavy report about small ice bergs and ice floes area while then the concentration sinks storms and high swell the discharging Corporate focus process on board MV “Beluga Foresight” using the Northern Sea Route again in further innovative projects. Today already, is delayed for matters of safety, one heavy 2010, then perhaps with up to six vessels Beluga Shipping has booked in contracts lift of a 90 tons module remains to be during the possible six to eight weeks in for the shipment of project and heavy lift carried out the Russian summer cargo with single weights of up to 1,000 12th of September 2009: On her journey tons that are to be discharged offshore towards west the MV “Beluga Fraternity” “We are all very proud and delighted to onto barges in Siberia for their adjacent passes the archipelago Nowaja Semlja – have successfully transited the legendary transport into the according destinations. in the eyes of the Russian Northern Sea Northeast-Passage and delivered the The oil and gas producing industry as Route Administration this marks the exit sensitive cargo safely through this well as infrastructure extensions are of the Northeast Passage extraordinarily demanding sea area with well developing in Siberia and the open 14th of September 2009: The weather discharging in Siberia what itself meant Northeast-Passage brings carriers closer now allows for lifting the final cargo filling a niche in a niche market”, Niels and more directly to the market which module from board of the MV “Beluga Stolberg says.