18.10.2012
Russia will receive about 30 nuclear- and diesel-powered icebreakers by 2030, said Deputy Minister of Transport Viktor Olersky at the keel-laying ceremony of the first out of three Project 21900M diesel icebreakers at JSC Vyborg Shipyard in Leningrad region.
"Such ships are needed in the context of large-scale development of seaports. We should appoint the most capable shipyards ready to receive new orders", he said.
"Shipbuilding industry has overcome a crisis, and today
Vyborg Shipyard,
Nevsky Zavod, and
Pella are working at full capacity", said Georgy Bogachev, vice governor of Leningrad region.
As for him, shipbuilding is leading sector of the regional economy and it also executes significant social function. Leningrad region is proud that despite all difficulties,
Vyborg Shipyard and its labor collective remained.
"This contract is very important for us as it closes the shipyard's problematic period. Production program of our shipyard meets the general trend of shipbuilding industry, today's Russia does need new ships", said Alexander Solovyov, director general of JSC
Vyborg Shipyard.
According to
Vzglyad newspaper, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev visited leading shipyards of St. Petersburg in October and attended the keel-laying ceremony of a new-generation diesel-electric icebreaker
LK-25.
It was earlier reported that construction of the first Russian super-powerful non-nuclear icebreaker had been started by
Baltiysky Zavod Shipbuilding in St. Petersburg. The icebreaker is supposed to work at high-latitude zones of the Northern Sea Route.
Project 21900M icebreakers are capable to break 1.5-meter thick ice. Their basic purposes are ice escorts of large-tonnage vessels, towage, firefighting operations, assistance to distressed vessels, and cargo transportation. Three icebreakers of this project will be delivered in May, June, and October 2015.
JSC
Vyborg Shipyard is one of the largest shipbuilding companies in Northwest Russia. Since its foundation, the shipyard has built over 200 vessels with overall displacement about 1,550,000 tons.
In May 2012, JSC
Vyborg Shipyard joined United Shipbuilding Corporation.
Presently, basic area of the shipyard's activity is construction of icebreakers, fifth-generation sea shelf drilling platforms, and various types of supply vessels.
