New Sakhalin tankers to be named after popular Russians

Two tankers capable to carry 100,000 tons of oil will work in Sakhalin /a Russian island in the Pacific Ocean/ as part of the Sakhalin-1 project. The tankers will be named after Yuri Senkevich /a popular TV host/ and Viktor Konetsky /a well-known marine writer/, director general of the Sovkomflot joint stock company Dmitry Skarga told journalists on Saturday.

According to him, this decision was taken by the company's management and approved by the board of directors.

Such tankers are not built at Russian dockyards yet, therefore, the construction will begin in the beginning of 2005 at South Korean shipyards. A year is needed to build the tankers, the Sovkomflot director general said.