Russia launches second Arc7 ice-breaking LNG carrier Konstantin Posyet

A commissioning ceremony for the Arctic LNG carrier Konstantin Posyet took place at the Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex in Bolshoy Kamen. The vessel is the second Arc7-class tanker built in Primorsky Krai. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin attended and congratulated those involved in the project. The Konstantin Posyet will operate under the Russian flag as part of a long-term time-charter agreement with Arctic LNG 2. It follows the lead vessel, Alexei Kosygin, which was delivered in late December 2025.

Each Arc7-class vessel has a cargo capacity of 172,600 cubic metres of liquefied natural gas. The ships are designed for extreme Arctic conditions, with a propulsion system rated at 45 MW and the ability to break through ice over two metres thick.

The carrier is named after Konstantin Nikolayevich Posyet, a 19th-century admiral and statesman. He served as Minister of Transport from 1874 to 1888 and played a key role in developing the Russian Far East and Siberia. He also championed the Trans-Siberian Railway project. A bay and a trading port in Primorsky Krai bear his name. The Konstantin Posyet joins Arctic LNG 2’s fleet of ice-breaking LNG carriers. Its advanced design allows year-round navigation in harsh Arctic waters. The vessel strengthens Russia’s capacity to transport LNG from remote northern fields.