Volga-Balt Transport Holding (VBTH), a sub-holding of the transportation group UCLH, on February 3 put into service the 5th multipurpose seagoing dry cargo ship "Malachite" of DCV36 project built at China’s Qingdao Hyundai Shipbuilding (QHS), the project designer Marine Engineering Bureau said.
The contract for construction of the Malachite was signed on April 9, 2008, steel cutting ceremony was held on August 10, 2008. The vessel was launched on December 20, 2010.
Unlike its predecessors (projects RSD44, RSD49) the DCV36 project serial dry bulk carriers are seagoing ships of unlimited navigation area. The series vessels are designed for transportation of seaborne general and bulk cargo, including 20- and 40-foot equivalent unit containers with height of up to 9.5 foot (including reefer containers), metal, grain, timber, coal, bulk and heavy-lift cargo, dangerous goods of 1.4S, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.1, 8, 9, and Appendix "B" of the International Code of Safety for High Speed Craft. The vessel project was designed to the class of Russian Maritime Register of Shipping KM AUT1 Ice 3.
Ship’s general characteristics: LOA - 89.96 m, molded length - 84.89 m, beam - 14.5 m, depth - 7.5 m. Summer LWL - 6.4 m, the draft DWT – 5026 t. Cargo hold dimensions - 60 x 11.5 x 9.2 m, which allows placement of 3 tiers of 9.5-foot containers, and also provides for transportation of large-sized cargoes. Cargo holds capacity - 6230 cbm. Double bottom is designed for distributed load intensity of 14.0 t per sqm and for bucket grab usage.
The lead ship of the series, the Amethyst, was laid down on November 16, 2009, launched on May 1, 2010 and delivered to the Customer on April 22, 2011. On May 13, 2011 the ship set sail on her maiden voyage.
Volga-Balt Transport Holding is majority owned by Universal Cargo Logistics Holding, consolidating a number of Russian shipping (North-Western Shipping Company, Volga Shipping, VF Tanker, etc.), stevedoring and shipping assets (Nevsky Zavod, Oka Shipyard, Borremflot, etc.).
Marine Engineering Bureau is a non-governmental design and engineering firm recognized by Russian Maritime Register of Shipping Russian River Register and Register of Shipping Ukraine.