Severnaya Verf to Build 3 Ice-Class Supply Ships for Russian Navy

13.06.2012 Severnaya Verf shipyard won the governmental contract in the Russian Defense Ministry's online open auction for three ARC4 ice-class seagoing supply vessels. The auction was held by the Federal Agency for Military Procurements Rosoboronpostavka; its results were summarized on June 8, 2012. The draft contract will be submitted to the company on June 13.

Once the contract is signed, Severnaya Verf will start metalworking for the first supply ship no later than in Dec 2012. The shipyard will deliver the first vessel in Nov 2014, the second one – in Nov 2015, and the third one – in Nov 2016.

"Severnaya Verf won that auction thanks largely to available construction experience of replenishment ships built for European clients. Technically, vessels ordered by defense ministry in many ways are similar to already built 'suppliers' and Project 22390/22391 ships supposed to be the core of Gazprom's auxiliary fleet when exploring Arctic shelf", says marketing director of JSC Severnaya Verf Leonid Kuzmin.

Through recent years, the shipyard has exported two offshore drilling platform replenishment ships. "As a result of exporting experience, we're the only yard in Russia possessing well-proven technologies, special tooling, and wide business contacts with shipborne equipment suppliers. That all will help us to cope with the defense ministry's contract", Kuzmin said.

By governmental resolution, JSC Severnaya Verf is the Russia's only manufacturer of Project 20380/20385 corvettes and Project 22350 frigates for Russian Navy.

In accordance with already signed contracts, Severnaya Verf is to build six Project 22350 frigates, six Project 20380/20385 corvettes, and a Project 18280 communication ship for Russian Navy by 2020.