08.02 Russian Gov’t Approves 2 Arctic Shipyards by Rosneft

MOSCOW, February 8 (RIA Novosti) – Russian authorities greenlighted plans by oil giant Rosneft to begin production of Arctic seagoing vessels at two separate facilities, a senior official said Saturday.

The state-run company will build a new shipyard complex in the village of Roslyakovo in the northern Murmansk Region, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said.

The complex will comprise military and civilian shipbuilding facilities, said Rogozin, who oversees defense and space industries in the government.
Rosneft will also create a consortium that would produce LNG carriers and Arctic drilling platforms, Rogozin said on his Facebook.

Production will take place at the Zvezda shipyard in the far eastern Primorye Region starting 2015, said the former envoy to NATO, once known for firebrand nationalism.

State companies Gazprom and Rosneft have extensive Arctic exploration plans together with Shell and ExxonMobil, respectively, which are to make up for Russian companies’ inexperience in offshore drilling above the polar circle.