Admiralteyskie Verfi Builds Rescue Ship for Russian Navy

16.11.2011 Project 21300 lead rescue ship Igor Belousov is being built by Admiralteyskie Verfi shipyard.

According to the yard's chief engineer Andrei Veselov, the ship will be launched in 2012 and join Russian Navy in 2014. These deadlines are stipulated in the contract recently signed in Severodvinsk between JSC Admiralteyskie Verfi and defense ministry, reports ITAR-TASS.

As for Veselov, the document lists works and equipment needed for the Project 21300 lead ship. The project was developed by Almaz Design Bureau (St. Petersburg).

Experts evaluate cost of the ocean-going rescue ship as $100 mln. The vessel is named after Igor Belousov held the post of Soviet shipbuilding minister in 1984-1988.

Project 21300 rescue ship Igor Belousov is designed for crew rescue of damaged submarines on surface or seabed, supply of surface ships and submarines with high-pressure air, electric power, and life saving equipment. In addition, the ship may search and examine damaged objects in assigned area independently and as a part of international rescue force.

Rescue ship Igor Belousov will be equipped with:

- manned deep-sea and unmanned remotely-controlled submersibles with operating depths down to 700 meters;
- Sea Tiger, Venom or Scorpio telecontrolled submersible;
- normobaric deep-sea diving armors, and diving system designed by Lazurit Design Bureau for underwater operations at depths down to 500 meters;
- decompression system for 60 rescued submariners;
- diving station for depths down to 60 meters.

Deep-sea submersibles will be capable to dock with any kind of submarines. Additionally, Project 21300 rescue ship will be capable to accomplish non-rescue missions like shelf explorations and conduct other underwater works.

For Russia, construction of such ships is of fundamental importance because vessels of this kind have not been laid down for 25 years, since the breakup of the Soviet Union.