"The first shipment of Russian "green" LNG offers unique opportunities for long-term direct supply of carbon-neutral/offset gas to the domestic market of the Asia-Pacific region. Considering that liquefied natural gas will remain an essential element of "green" energy for decades to come, this cargo is a key step towards the formation of an environmentally oriented portfolio of company's gas products and further evidence of the fact that Sakhalin Energy is contributing to the achievement of global climate goals. At the Sakhalin Oil and Gas Far-Eastern Energy Forum, we agreed on cooperation for the first delivery of carbon-neutral/offset LNG cargo. Today we are ready to ship it to the Japanese buyer," said Roman Dashkov, Chief Executive Officer of Sakhalin Energy.
According to him, offsetting the carbon footprint from the entire LNG chain from production to final usage by end-users allows making this energy resource even more in demand in countries that are consistently working on solving the decarbonisation problem.
Japan, being one of them, is one of the essential buyers of the Sakhalin LNG. In 2020, the largest volume of LNG, 51.6 %, was shipped to that country from the port of Prigorodnoye. The delivery of the first carbon-neutral/offset cargo is scheduled for mid-October.
Grand Aniva gas carrier, assigned for the delivery, was chartered by Sakhalin Energy from PAO Sovcomflot for year-round supply from the LNG plant to Asia-Pacific countries. Earlier, at the 24th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the companies signed long-term time charters for two oil tankers capable of using LNG as the primary fuel. The use of "green" vessels under the Sakhalin-2 project will contribute to preserving the ecology of the Far East Sea Basin, continuing Sakhalin Energy's long-term strategy towards decarbonisation.
As noted by Igor Tonkovidov, the General Director and the Chairman of the Sovcomflot Board, the company has been working to reduce its carbon footprint for many years and welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the practical implementation of environmental initiatives together with its long-time partner, Sakhalin Energy. "We are confident that a responsible approach to sustainable development today is an integral part of the business of leading companies in energy production, processing and maritime transportation. We look forward to further expanding our successful cooperation with Sakhalin Energy in the field of decarbonisation," added Igor Tonkovidov.