ZNT Yard launches 23040-series SAR boat for Russian Defense Ministry (photo)
ZNT Yard on May 6 launched serial multipurpose offshore Search and Rescue Boat of project 23040 (Hull No 1105) being built for Russian Ministry of Defense, the shipbuilding company said.
The 23040 design SAR boat is the evolution of a series of ten Diving Support Vessels of project А160 (Hull No No 801-810) built by ZNT Yard in 2010-2012 for the State Marine Rescue Service (Gosmorspassluzhba), and of a diving boat “Pelikan” of project ZT28D, developed by ZNT Yard's in-house engineering bureau.
As compared with well-proven Pelikan-series boats and their successors (the boats of project 14157), the new design SAR boats feature larger dimensions, increased power and ice class, which enable the vessels to operate effectively at outer harbors and beyond, 50 miles offshore.
"Additional features of the boat is the capability of conducting search and underwater inspection utilizing a compact unmanned ROV and towed sonar. Besides, the new boat design provides for a joystick control system," said ZNT Yard's Chief Designer Andrey Chichagov.
The single-deck steel ice-class hull boat has an aluminum superstructure (wheelhouse) and two-shaft diesel propulsion system with FPPs and bow thruster.
Vessel general characteristics: LOA – 28.09 m, breadth overall – 5.56 m, draft forward – 1.5 m, mean draft – 1.5 m, full displacement – about 118 tonnes, propulsion system: main 2x441kW engine and 2x80 diesel generator and an emergency 20kW DG, operational speed – about 13.7±0.3 knots, complement – 3 crew members and 5 divers.
The 23040-series boat was designed for diving support of underwater works at depths of up to 60 m at sea state No 3 of BS (gentle breeze); to perform diving operations by two divers simultaneously with air consumption of up to 120 l/min at a depth of 60 m on the seabed for 60 minutes; availability of decompression. The vessel can assist in emergency rescue operations, in hydraulic and salvage operations; inspection of harbor seabed, inspection of ship wrecks and other structures.
Besides, the boat has fire fighting capabilities for fighting fires on vessels , floating and coastal facilities of total height of up to 30 m, for pumping water from stricken ships; for underwater search and inspection using unmannded ROV; for search of wrecks at depths up to 150 m, using a towed sonar; for man overboard search / rescue using thermal night vision systems; for the supply of power to stricken vessels.
ZNT Yard in late March, 2013 signed a state contract for the construction of 16 SAR boats of 23040 design ordered by Russian MoD.
The first four vessels were built and delivered to Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet based in Novorossiysk by the end of 2013.
This year's newbuilding delivery programme includes six boats: 3 for the Astrakhan based Caspian Flotilla and 3 for the Kronshtadt based Baltic Fleet.
The 2015 delivery schedule includes six boats for the Baltic Fleet. The first 23040-series vessel was launched on September 17, 2013. On April 29, 2014 ZNT Yard launched the 23040-series SAR boat (Hull No 1106).
JSC Nizhny Novgorod Motor Vessel Yard (ZNT Yard), based in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region, was founded in 1911. Today, the shipbuilding firm with its in-house design bureau specializes in the construction of supply and auxiliary fleet, harbor equipment and marine engines and provides a broad range of ranged services.