Nerpa Shipyard Launches Transport Ship Yauza

12.10.2012 Large-size cargo ship Yauza was launched on Oct 8 at Nerpa Shipyard in Snezhnogorsk. It is the closing stage in repair of the special-purpose ship revived by Nerpa shipbuilders.

In fact, shipwrights of Nerpa have built a new ship. Only the hull remained from Yauza; the deck erection and equipment was demounted. During the total retrofitting, the ship's living quarters was completed, and up-to-date control systems were mounted. The ship has not only changed external appearance but was conversed from a dry cargo vessel into Project 550M ice-class passenger/cargo ship.

New life of Yauza started with a maritime ritual. Everyone involved in the ship's renovation came to see her off – shipbuilders, repairmen, engineers, designers, representatives of Russian Navy Technical Department and acceptance board. When a traditional champagne bottle was smashed at the ship's hull, floating dock Pallada with Yauza being mounted aboard slowly cleared the yard's berth. Having reached the deepest place of the harbor, Pallada submerged and let Yauza free in the open water.

After launching and outfitting works, the ship will pass dockside and state trials to test all onboard systems and equipment. Shipwrights of Nerpa will hand over the renewed ship to the Navy, meeting all standards of Russian Maritime Register and equipped with up-to-date navigation and communication systems.

Thanks to new diesel generators and mighty crane facilities, cargo-handling operations will become easier and faster. Security and communication systems were completely upgraded. After repair and modernization, the ship's service life is 10 years longer with optional further 10-year extension.

Yauza was laid up for repairs at Nerpa shipyard in 2008. At that time, she had been in service for over 35 years. Through 2.5-year long repair, the ship has passed complete renovation.

Seagoing dry-cargo ship Yauza was launched in Dec 1974 at Kherson shipyard. Soviet Navy ensign was hoisted on the ship one year later. Main purpose of the ship is supplying of the Novaya Zemlya Test Range. Through years of Arctic service, the ship has passed tens of thousands nautical miles and transported thousands of tons cargo.