Admiralteyskie Verfi Shipyard Delivers Expedition Ship Akademik Treshnikov

10.10.2012 Commissioning ceremony of scientific expedition ship Akademik Treshnikov took place at JSC Admiralteyskie Verfi shipyard on Oct 10. The solemn flag-hoisting ceremony was attended by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Akademik Treshnikov is a scientific expedition ship ordered by Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Rosgidromet). The new flagship of Russian research fleet will replace the similar-purpose vessel Akademik Fedorov and is designed for the Russian Antarctic Expedition.

The research ship Akademik Treshnikov built under project developed by Baltsudoproekt Design Bureau. The ship combines functions of icebreaker, dry cargo ship, passenger liner, and scientific research station; she has strengthened ice-class hull and is equipped with up-to-date navigation facilities, two heliports, special laboratories capable to process results of oceanographic researches, atmospheric soundings, and other scientific experiments.

The ship provides comfortable operating conditions to the crew and scientists at ambient air temperature down to minus 40 degrees centigrade. There are no limitations as of navigation area, including independent sailing and drifting in ice conditions, and cruises in tropical seas.

Construction of the research expedition ship Akademik Treshnikov has become the first step in implementation of the presidential decree on expanding of Russia's activities in Arctic, Antarctic, and World Ocean. With induction of this ship, Russia will step up at a new stage in polar explorations.

General characteristics of research expedition ship Akademik Treshnikov:

length – 133.59 meters
beam - 23 meters
hull height – 13.5 meters
draft – 8.5 meters
deadweight – 5,580 tons
open-water speed - 16 knots
icebreaking speed (1.1-meter thick ice) – 2 knots
endurance - 45 days
operational range – 15,000 nm
complement - 60 persons
passengers (expedition) - 80 persons
two helicopters Ka-32
propulsion: three Wartsila main engines (2 x 6,300 KW, 1 x 4,200 KW), two 2 x 7,100 KW propeller motors

JSC Admiralteyskie Verfi is a large shipbuilding company and Russia's non-nuclear submarine manufacturing center. It is affiliate of JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation. Currently, the shipyard's capacities are workloaded in full successfully implementing a number of orders for Russian and foreign clients. Two 6-sub series are being presently built; Project 636.1 diesel submarines for foreign navies and Project 636.3 – for Russian one. Today the shipyard delivered the research expedition ship Akademik Treshnikov built for the Russian Antarctic Expedition. Rescue ship Igor Belousov with deep-sea submersible Bester-1 is under construction there as well.