Sea trials of Project 11982 research ship Seliger built by JSC Yantar Shipyard for Russian Navy are taking place in Baltiysk, the yard's press service told Central Navy Portal.
Research ship Seliger was developed by Almaz Central Design Bureau which is the leading developing agency in Russian shipbuilding industry. Construction of Seliger is held in Kaliningrad under the contract won by JSC Yantar Shipyard in the Russian Navy's tender.
Keel for Seliger was laid down on July 8, 2009 at the shipyard's "Burevestnik" slipway and was put afloat (withdrawn from covered slipway to floating dock) on July 29, 2011. VADM Viktor Chirkov, Baltic Fleet Commander and Hero of Russia VADM Aleksei Burilichev, Chief of Deepwater Research Dept at Russian Defense Ministry attended the both ceremonies.
At present, research ship Seliger transferred to the shipyard's delivery base in Baltiysk on Apr 13 has started first phase of sea trials and took the sea several times. As is planned, if the trials pass successfully, by mid-May the ship will be prepared for the transfer to the basing site at Black Sea Fleet. According to unverified information, Seliger would be possibly carried by a transport ship around Europe.
Basic purpose of research ship Seliger is conducting of wide range of research and experimental works, including deep-sea explorations by unmanned submersibles. The ship's displacement is 1,150 tons; length is 59.7 meters; beam is 10.8 meters; full speed is 13 knots; operating range is 1,000 nautical miles; complement is 25 men.