Nizhny Novgorod-based ZNT Yard launched today, September 2nd, the inshore diving support vessel “Vodolaz Stashkov" of project A160 for the Federal Salvage and Rescue Service (Gosmorspassluzhba), the shipbuilding firm said.
The newbuilds were ordered by Rosmorrechflot, the Federal Sea and River Transport Agency (through the State Contracting Authority of Maritime Transport Development Programs).
This vessel is the 7th of a series of 10 DSVs of A160 project ordered by the agency under the Federal Target Program “Development of Transport System of Russia, 2010-2015”. Three vessels are scheduled for delivery in October this year, the shipbuilder said.
The keel-laying of the first boat, named Vodolaz Litvin (Diver Litvin) was held on Sept.18, 2009. Four lead ships (Vodolaz Litvin, Vodolaz Pechkurov, Vodolaz Chebonenko and Vodolaz Denisov) have already been delivered to the Customer and put into service at home ports of Saint-Petersburg, Murmansk, Novorossiysk and Astrakhan. Another three DSVs (Vodolaz Zubchenko, Vodolaz Zyulyaev and Vodolaz Stashkov) will be delivered to their home ports of Korsakov and Vladivostok.
The A160 project was designed in 2008 by the shipyard in conjunction with Agat Design Bureau Ltd.
The vessels are intended for diving engineering operations at 60m depth, with 13-18kt wind (number 4 on B. scale), to participate in rescue and salvage operations, inspection of the harbor seabed, ship wrecks, underwater hulls of vessels and waterworks.
Nizhny Novgorod-based ZNT Yard (Nizhegorodsky Teplokhod Factory) specializes primarily in the construction of vessels and auxiliary fleet, port equipment and marine engineering products.