Flag-hoisting ceremony has been held today in Baltijsk for offshore SAR boats of Project 23040. By the Order of RF Navy Commander-in-Chief, four boats join Search and Rescue Unit of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, RF Navy’s press center says.
The ceremony was attended by representatives of the command of the Baltic Fleet, BF rescue squad, plant manufacturer, veteran and public organisations. The event included the rite of blessing boats and their St. Andrew's Ensigns. Then the boat commanders made solemn ascents of Naval Ensigns.
Thus, the emergency rescue squad of the Baltic Fleet is to be enlarged with four Project 23040 boats built for the Fleet at the Nizhny Novgorod Plant ‘Nizhegorodsky Teplokhod’.
The single-deck steel ice-class hull boat has an aluminum superstructure (wheelhouse) and two-shaft diesel propulsion system with FPPs and bow thruster. The new design SAR boats feature increased power and ice class, which enable the vessels to operate effectively at outer harbors and beyond, 50 miles offshore.
Besides, the boat has fire fighting capabilities for fighting fires on vessels, floating and coastal facilities of total height of up to 30 m, for pumping water from stricken ships; for underwater search and inspection using unmannded ROV; for search of wrecks at depths up to 150 m, using a towed sonar; for man overboard search / rescue using thermal night vision systems; for the supply of power to stricken vessels.
Vessel general characteristics: LOA – 28.09 m, breadth overall – 5.56 m, depth – 3.4 m, mean draft – 1.5 m, full displacement – about 118 tonnes, propulsion system: main 2x441kW engine and 2x80 diesel generator and an emergency 20kW DG, operational speed – about 13.7±0.3 knots, complement – 3 crew members and 5 divers.
In late March 2013, ZNT Yard signed a state contract for the construction of 16 SAR boats of 23040 design ordered by Russian MoD.
Related link:
ZNT Yard delivers SAR boat of Project 23040 to RF Ministry of Defence>>>>