In a move away from highly polluting bunker fuel – the lowest grade of petroleum fuel – shipping is moving towards other fuel sources including liquefied natural gas (LNG). Now Nornickel, a Russian mining company, has announced it will team up Russian oil giant Rosneft to build Russia’s first dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) icebreaker. Also involved in the project is Rosatom, the state operator of the route.

Russia wants to develop the Northern Sea Route across its far north, which shortens considerably the distance from western Russia and China, and triple the amount of cargo now making the trip.

The last several summers have been warm enough for ships with reinforced hulls to make the journey. Russia, however, would like to keep the passageway open throughout most of the year as well as develop the Arctic region.

Russia has had the world’s only nuclear-powered icebreakers but needs new ships. The price of an LNG-powered ship is about half the US$814 million to costs to build nuclear.

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