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Saudi Arabia, EU Explore Cooperation in Higher Education

The meeting reviewed cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the European Union in higher education and research. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The meeting reviewed cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the European Union in higher education and research. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia, EU Explore Cooperation in Higher Education

The meeting reviewed cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the European Union in higher education and research. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The meeting reviewed cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the European Union in higher education and research. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Ministry of Education and the EU Delegation of Erasmus+ program reviewed cooperation in higher education and research, with the participation of European experts and representatives of major universities in the Kingdom.

Funded by the EU, the Erasmus program is the first large-scale international action program to enhance the mobility of higher education students, focusing on lifelong learning to support education, training, youth, and sports in Europe.

Since its inception 35 years ago, over 13 million students have benefited from its programs. It has a budget of $27.9 billion running from 2021-2027.

The opportunities offered by Erasmus+ are now available to the Gulf region, where Saudi universities can establish partnerships with their European counterparts to exchange students and staff.

Speaking at the event, EU Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Oman Christophe Farnaud said the EU is accelerating international cooperation in the academic field, offering tremendous opportunities for young Saudi students to study and live in Europe.

“Erasmus+ is designed to enhance two-way exchanges and also enable more Europeans to come to study in the Gulf, further bolstering our people-to-people contacts and our bilateral relations,” he added.

In May 2022, the EU announced its strategic partnership with the Gulf, which aims to expand and deepen cooperation between the two sides.

Several proposals between the EU and Saudi Arabia aim to enhance energy, green transformation, climate change, trade, economic diversification, regional stability, global security, and humanitarian and development challenges.

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Russia’s First Ice-Class LNG Carrier Enters Sea Trials, Data Shows

A concrete gravity-based structure (GBS) of Arctic LNG 2 joint venture is seen under construction in a dry dock of the LNG Construction center near the settlement of Belokamenka, Murmansk region, Russia July 26, 2022. (Reuters)
A concrete gravity-based structure (GBS) of Arctic LNG 2 joint venture is seen under construction in a dry dock of the LNG Construction center near the settlement of Belokamenka, Murmansk region, Russia July 26, 2022. (Reuters)
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Russia’s First Ice-Class LNG Carrier Enters Sea Trials, Data Shows

A concrete gravity-based structure (GBS) of Arctic LNG 2 joint venture is seen under construction in a dry dock of the LNG Construction center near the settlement of Belokamenka, Murmansk region, Russia July 26, 2022. (Reuters)
A concrete gravity-based structure (GBS) of Arctic LNG 2 joint venture is seen under construction in a dry dock of the LNG Construction center near the settlement of Belokamenka, Murmansk region, Russia July 26, 2022. (Reuters)

The first Russian-built ice-class liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier has entered sea trials, LSEG data showed on Friday, as part of Russia's efforts to raise global LNG market share despite US sanctions.

The tanker, named Alexey Kosygin after a Soviet statesman, was built at the Zvezda shipyard and is due to join the fleet of vessels for Russia's new Arctic LNG 2 plant, which has been delayed because of the US sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine.

The US Treasury has also placed sanctions on the new vessel, which Russia's leading tanker group Sovcomflot ordered to be built at Zvezda, Russia's most advanced shipbuilding yard. LSEG ship-tracking data shows it is anchored near the Pacific port of Vladivostok.

Sovcomflot has not replied to a request for comment.

Novatek, which owns 60% of Arctic LNG 2, has said 15 Arc7 ice-class tankers that are able to cut through two meter (6.5 ft) thick ice to transport LNG from Arctic projects, will be built at Zvezda shipyard.

According to a source familiar with the matter, Novatek shut down commercial operations at the first and only operational train of its Arctic LNG 2 project in October with no plans to restart it during winter.

Ice-class tankers usually have double hulls - strengthened structures to withstand the pressure of ice - and reinforced propellers.

So far, only three suitable gas tankers have been built for Arctic LNG 2, according to public information: the Alexey Kosygin, Pyotr Stolypin and Sergei Witte vessels.

Six more Arc7 tankers were due to be built by Hanwha Ocean, formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, including three for Sovcomflot and three for Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines.

However, the three tankers ordered by Sovcomflot were cancelled due to the sanctions against Russia, Hanwha said last year in regulatory filings.