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Saudi Arabia Registers Increase in Fish Production Self-Sufficiency

Saudi Arabia maintains efforts to raise food self-sufficiency targets, including fish production. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia maintains efforts to raise food self-sufficiency targets, including fish production. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Registers Increase in Fish Production Self-Sufficiency

Saudi Arabia maintains efforts to raise food self-sufficiency targets, including fish production. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia maintains efforts to raise food self-sufficiency targets, including fish production. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture revealed progress in self-sufficiency in fish production, as it aims to increase the per capita fish consumption from 9 to 13 kilograms annually.

The ministry said on Monday that fish production in Saudi Arabia increased from 32,000 tons in 2016 to 119,000 tons until the end of 2022, confirming that it reached 59 percent of fish wealth self-sufficiency.

The Saudi Ministry of Environment, represented by the National Fisheries Development Program, marked World Fisheries Day, which falls on Nov. 21, with an event that was held at the ministry’s headquarters.

The ministry stated that the fisheries sector witnessed great development during the last period, leading to several achievements, including the development of 20 fishing facilities.

“We aim to reach 82 facilities during the next phase,” the ministry announced, noting that the number of fish farming projects increased from 67 to 235 projects in marine and inland waters and closed systems within the Kingdom.

The ministry also said that it was seeking to encourage capacity development, support small fishermen, empower the private sector and increase its contribution to the GDP, in accordance with the objectives of Vision 2030.

The ministry emphasized its efforts to develop infrastructure and investment opportunities in the sector, provide job opportunities for citizens, and raise the quality of production to compete in global markets, in addition to localizing the fishing profession and enabling more than 2,000 fishermen to practice the activity in the Kingdom.

It added that Saudi fish commodities were exported to more than 35 countries around the world.

For his part, CEO of the National Fisheries Development Program Dr. Ali Al Shaikhi said that the celebration of World Fisheries Day comes to emphasize the importance of marine and healthy ecosystems and the importance of securing sustainable fish stocks around the world.

He added that Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the field of fisheries contributed to the promotion and development of the sector at the local, regional and international levels.

Al Shaikhi revealed that the Kingdom has been elected to chair the 36th Session of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s fisheries committee to be held in Rome in 2024.

He noted that the committee voted unanimously for the Kingdom in recognition of its leading role in supporting international efforts to promote sustainable fishing and aquaculture.

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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.