Two towboats of PORTFLEET OJSC escorted Mistral, a universal assault ship of French Naval Forces, ex the Big Port of St.-Petersburg water area, PortNews IAA journalist reported. Towboats Leonid Bochkov and Evgeniy Kocheshkov, fitted out with azimuth rudder-propellers were deployed in the ship escorting. Mistral length is 200 m, which hinders towboats operation in the Neva river water area, nevertheless PORTFLEET towboats successfully managed the task due to their experience in naval ships escorting.

It is necessary to remind that French helicopter ship Mistral called in the port of St.-Petersburg on November 24. It was planned to decide on the issue of purchasing the class of the vessel from rom France and building another three equal ships in the Russian shipyards. Each ship without helicopters is evaluated EURO 800 mln.

Port Fleet CJSC was founded in 1997. The company operates the fleet of 39 vessels of various purposes and capable of carrying out any tasks on complex servicing of vessels both in the Big Port of St.-Petersburg water area and outside it. Port Fleet has a contract signed with FGUP Rosmorport that provides for servicing of vessels paying ecological fees under the order established and located in the Big Port of St.-Petersburg water area on vessels waste receiving and disposal.

Towboats Leonid Bochkov and Evgeniy Kocheshkov, design 2509 L are 25.86 m long and 8.9 m wide, towing tension – 30 and 40 tons accordingly.