A steel-cutting ceremony was held today at Turkey based Armada Shipyard for flagship in a series of five mixed river-sea class tankers of Armada series. The 7150DWT tankers of Project RST 22M were ordered by Palmali Group, the Group told IAA PortNews. First tanker delivery is scheduled for May 2015.
Two vessels of the series will be constructed to the class of Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS). The corresponding agreement was signed between the shipbuilder and the Russian classification society, RS said in a press release. Currently specialists at RS shall review the project documentation.
Under the agreement RS is to provide classification and certification services for new ships to comply with international conventions requirements.
The RS specialists will conduct technical supervision of the construction of hulls, machinery installation, electrical and automation equipment, determine the compliance of vessels with the approved technical documentation, all applicable international and national requirements. They will also participate in dockside and sea trials.
The RST 22M project was developed by Odessa, Ukraine headquartered Marine Engineering Bureau. Class symbol RS: KM (*) Ice1 R2 AUT1-ICS VCS ECO-S BWM OMBO Oil tanker (ESP).
The series vessels were designed for transportation of crude oil, fuel oil, diesel fuel and other petroleum products and vegetable oils, and equipped to carry simultaneously three types of cargo.
The new tankers satisfy the Volga-Don Canal and Volga-Baltic Waterway dimensions and will be used both for mixed, river-sea sailing, and for shipping in the Caspian, Black, Mediterranean, Baltic and North seas, including winter season voyages around Europe and in the Irish Sea.
The RST 22M vessel designer took into account additional RS' environmental requirements (ECO-S).
Earlier PortNews has said that Palmali Group plans until 2017 to expand its cargo fleet with 20 vessels of projects RST 12 and RST 22M.
Palmali Group signs contract for construction of 5 Armada tankers >>>>>