據9月12日The Motor Ship報道，未來10年，俄羅斯將繼續優先發展液化天然氣，將其作為替代燃料。俄羅斯目前的長期政策文件是其2016年《俄羅斯聯邦國家科技發展戰略》，其中將“向環境友好型和資源節約型能源產業轉型”列為截至2035年的七大重要主題之一。該戰略包括發展國內在液化天然氣燃料船舶，特別是冰級船舶建造方面的專業知識。

從燃料的角度來看，俄羅斯一直在與國內一些主要船東和運輸商就高硫燃料油的潛在替代品進行討論。替代能源包括液化天然氣、液化石油氣、甲醇、生物燃料、氫以及可再生能源。

波羅的海和黑海盆地的船舶運營商預計將專注于液化天然氣和替代燃料。波羅的海氮氧化物排放控制區（NECA）將于2021年1月生效。

俄羅斯能源部的專家預測，未來幾年，國際上對液化天然氣的需求將加速增長。俄羅斯國內的液化天然氣需求也將增加。正如之前報道的那樣，Zvezda造船公司已經收到了15艘Arc7液化天然氣運輸船的訂單，預計在2023年到2025年之間交付。這些訂單是俄羅斯政府在2019年底批準開發北海航線的現有國家戰略的一部分。

與大多數西方國家相比，該國計劃利用其更發達的液化天然氣供應基礎設施。此外，俄羅斯已經擁有發達的港口基礎設施，可以進行液化天然氣的加注。

由于擔心高緯度地區的碳排放和煙塵的影響，北海航線仍需受到環境審查。然而，2019年俄羅斯北極高緯度地區北海航線液化天然氣航運量占比為43%。

這一點尤其重要，因為俄羅斯也開始促進在其北極地區積極開發碳氫化合物儲備。這將使北海航線得到更積極的利用，并為在該航線上運行的新油輪船隊的試運行創造條件。俄羅斯正計劃確保這些船舶中的大多數都能使用液化天然氣等環境友好型燃料。

在財政支持方面，如前所述，俄羅斯正在為執行這些計劃提供支助。這包括為航運公司購買以天然氣為燃料的船舶提供財政支持。此外，部分補貼將用于在俄羅斯境內建造基于液化天然氣和其他替代燃料的新一代船舶。

政府還在資助建造6艘以天然氣為燃料的內河船只，以及在全國各地開發10座液化天然氣燃料補給站。該國第一艘液化天然氣燃料內河船Chaika，在2020年8月由伏爾加河船廠JSC Zelenodolsk交付，由JSC Zelenodolsk設計局設計。

俄羅斯領先的分析和咨詢公司Transport Integration副總裁Svetlana Vorontsova表示，總體而言，到2030年，液化天然氣預計將占俄羅斯船用燃料銷售的10%。

在替代燃料基礎設施方面，俄羅斯在2015年推出了促進沼氣生產的法規，但產量非常小，主要集中在國內零售市場。不過，甲醇仍然是俄羅斯一個重要的出口商品,還有一些大型擴建項目，如符拉迪沃斯托克附近的Nadhodka甲醇廠、列寧格勒地區日產1萬噸的Vysotsk項目，以及遠東地區日產3000噸的Technoleasing Skovodorino工廠，預計近期內產量將不斷增加。

然而，俄羅斯分析人士預測，國內運輸部門或國內航運燃料對甲醇的需求仍將有限。

王佳晶 摘譯自 The Motor Ship

原文如下：

Russia strategy emphasises LNG above alternative fuels

Russia is set to continue prioritising the development of LNG as an alternative fuel over the coming decade, writes Eugene Gerden.

The government’s current long-term policy document, its 2016 national Strategy for Science and Technology (S&T) Development of the Russian Federation, listed “the transition to environmentally friendly and resource-saving energy industry” as one of its seven overarching themes covering the period until 2035.

The strategy included the development of domestic expertise in the construction on LNG-fuelled vessels, and ice-class vessels in particular.

From a fuel perspective, the government has been consulting with some leading domestic shipowners and shippers around potential alternatives for the replacement of HSFO fuels. The alternatives include LNG, LPG, methanol, biofuel, hydrogen and even renewables.

Ship operators in the Baltic Sea and Black Sea basins are expected to focus on LNG and alternative fuels. The Baltic Sea NOx Emission Control Area (NECA) will take effect from January 2021.

Russian Ministry of Energy experts forecast international demand for LNG will accelerate in the next few years, based on newbuilding statistics.

Domestic Russian LNG demand will also increase. As previously reported, Zvezda Shipbuilding Complex has received orders for 15 Arc7 LNG carriers, scheduled for delivery between 2023 and 2025.

The orders form part of the existing state strategy for the development of the Northern Sea Route, which was approved by the Russian government at the end of 2019.

The country plans to take advantage of its more developed LNG supply infrastructure compared with most Western states. In addition, Russia already has well developed port infrastructure, which allows it to conduct LNG bunkering.

The Northern Sea Route remains subject to environmental scrutiny, amid concerns about the impact of emissions and soot at high latitudes. However, the share of LNG-fuelled marine traffic along the Northern Sea Route in the Russian High Arctic in 2019 amounted to 43%.

This is particularly relevant as the Russian government is also beginning to promote active development of hydrocarbon reserves in its Arctic region. This will lead to more active utilisation of the Northern Sea Route and create conditions for the commissioning of a new tanker fleet, that will operate on it. The state is planning to ensure that the majority of these ships will be operated on the basis of environmentally friendly fuels, such as LNG.

As previously discussed, the Russian government is providing support for the implementation of these plans. This includes financial support for shipping companies to purchase LNG-fuelled vessels.

In addition, part of subsidies will be allocated for construction of new generation vessels, based on LNG and other alternative fuels, within the territory of Russia.

The government is also funding the construction of six LNG-fuelled river vessels, as well as the development of 10 LNG bunkering stations throughout the country. The country's first LNG-fuelled river vessel, Chaika, was delivered by Volga River-based shipyard JSC Zelenodolsk in August 2020. The vessel was designed by JSC Zelenodolsk Design Bureau.

As previously reported, the Russian government is also understood to be considering lifting VAT on imported components or parts for the marine sector, in order to lower the cost of domestic production.

Overall, LNG is expected to account for 10% of bunker fuel sales in Russia by 2030, Svetlana Vorontsova, vice-president of Transport Integration, a leading Russian analysis and consulting company, told The Motorship.

The government introduced regulations to promote the production of biogas in 2015, but volumes are very small and focused on the domestic retail market.

Methanol remains an important export commodity for Russia, and a number of large expansion projects, such as the Nadhodka methanol plant near Vladivostok, the 10,000 tonne per day Vysotsk project in the Leningrad region, or the Technoleasing 3,000 tpd Skovodorino plant in the Far East, are expected to lift production will only increase in the immediate future.

Nevertheless, demand for methanol from the domestic transport sector or as a fuel for domestic shipping is expected to remain limited, Russian analysts predict.