Second Baklan-Class Survey Boat Laid Down for Pacific Fleet

12.04.2012 JSC Oktyabrskoi Revolutsii Shipyard (Blagoveshchensk, Far East) late in March 2012 started preparation for keel-laying of the second Project 19920 Baklan large-size survey boat for Pacific Fleet (PF) Hydrographic Service, a source in the shipyard told Central Navy Portal.

First boat BGK-797 (serial number 701) was laid down in Blagoveshchensk in the fall of 2006 and hoisted Russian naval ensign in June 2009. At present, the boat is actively used by PF Hydrographic Service. Construction of the second boat (serial number 702) started late in March 2012; the shipyard began production of hull elements. Date of the official keel-laying ceremony has not been set so far. The boat is expected to join Russian Navy in 2013.

Project 19920 Baklan was developed by Vympel Design Bureau (Nizhniy Novgorod) in accordance with up-to-date standards for vessels of this kind. The project fully meets its purpose.

Except for the Far East shipwrights, similar boats are built by Vympel Shipyard (Rybinsk). Their lead boat BGK-2090 has been serving at Caspian Flotilla since 2008. The second boat built by Vympel is expected to take the sea in the coming summer, and after trials she will be delivered by the year end.

Blagoveshchensk shipbuilders are going to have other defense orders in the current year. Apart from Baklan, they will kick off construction of two Project 14157 diving boats for Russian Navy. First of them will be laid down on Apr 27.

Project 19920 survey boat is designed for:

- hydrographic and pilotage works in coastal zone
- maintenance, inspection, reloading, and repairing of coastal and floating navigational aids
- delivery of personnel, special equipment, and cargoes on unprepared coast

General characteristics:

Displacement – 295 tons
Length overall – 36.4 meters
Beam overall – 7.9 meters
Draft – 1.98 meters
Full speed – 11 knots
Fuel range at 11 knots – 1,000 nautical miles
Endurance – 10 days
Complement – 11 men
Main propulsion plant: 2 x 232-kW diesels, two fixed-pitch screws
Auxiliary powerplant: 2 x 75-kW diesel generators (400 V / 50 Hz)
Hydrographic equipment: multibeam echo sounder with data collection and processing system; survey fathometer; hydrographic profile recorder; roll/pitch measuring system; waterborne sound speed meter; stand-alone recovery hydrologic probe; automatic tide gauge