Deep targets
The demand for dredging ships in 2025-2030 is estimated at 62 units, one fifth of the fleet currently run by administrations of inland water ways. Shipbuilders have already contracted the first series of dredgers scheduled for delivery up 2024. However, the demand is created by both state bodies and pipeline companies. According to IAA PortNews sources, dredgers and barges are needed for Giprotruboprovod JSC, a company of Transneft, which plans revamping of the Surgut – Polotsk oil trunk pipeline section as well as the Ufa – Westward pipeline.
According to information obtained by IAA PortNews, Giprotruboprovod JSC is set to commence works on revamping of the Surgut – Polotsk oil trunk pipeline section at the Volga river crossing as well as its underwater crossing of the Kama river in 2022. Besides, the company has entered preliminary negotiations with potential contractors for works on Ufa – Westward oil trunk pipeline (Bezymyannoye lake, Bobrovoye lake, Gremyachye lake, Volga river). The total scope of works is estimated at about 2.3 million cbm. The contract price under the three projects can reach RUB 5.6 billion. The works are to be executed by 2025.
Meanwhile, market players interviewed by IAA PortNews say there are no required ships or companies operating exclusively in the inland water market. Therefore, the contractors will have to look for dredgers in the tight market, hence the risk of the schedule delay.
The major owners of dredging equipment are Administrations of IWW basins and FSUE Rosmorport subordinate to Rosmorrechflot. As of today, river and sea/river class dredging fleet requires modernization with the existing ships not likely to meet the demand under additional projects, says Aleksandr Yegorov, General Director of Marine Engineering Bureau.
According to Konstantin Anisimov, Deputy Head of the Federal Marine and River Transport Agency (Rosmorrechflot), IWW Administrations currently (as of March 2021) have 2,305 industrial ships including 329 units of dredging fleet. The number of dredgers within this fleet is 148. Average age of industrial ships is almost 39 years.
Large-scale programmes on construction of dredgers are currently being implemented at the production facilities of Lotos Shipyard (Southern Centre of Shipbuilding and Ship Repair, part of USC). The shipyard is building four dredgers of 93.159 and 93.159.1. designs under the order of State Transport Leasing Company (GTLK). The long-term programme covering a period until 2030 foresees the construction of 16 more dredgers of the same type.
Besides, a series of seven dredgers ordered by FSI Rechvodput is under construction at the production facilities of Shipbuilding, Ship Repair Corporation PJSC (Gorodets, Nizhny Novgorod Region). Two ships are to be delivered in 2022 with the rest of them to be delivered by 2024.
In late 2021, GTLK also signed a contract with Rostov Region based Tsimlyansky Marine Engineering Plant (Tsimlyansk Shipyard, CSMZ) for three non-self-propelled cutter suction dredgers scheduled for delivery in 2023.
However, taking into consideration normal scrapping of dredgers, the authorities are to accelerate modernization of the industrial fleet.
State policy in the field of dredging and hydraulic engineering works will be discussed at the 5th Congress “Hydraulic Engineering Structures and Dredging” organized by Media-Group PortNews. The event is being held in Moscow, at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation>>>>
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