The foundation stone ceremony has been held today, on December 22, at Severnaya Verf shipyard (Saint-Petersburg, United Shipbuilding Corporation) to launch the construction of a state-of-the-art shipbuilding facility, IAA PortNews journalist reports.
The ceremony was attended by Aleksei Rakhmanov, President of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC).
The event marks the beginning of an ambitious investment project on reconstruction and modernization of current Severnaya Verf facilities in order to create up-to-date shipbuilding complex.
The project implies the construction of a dry dock and new production workshops, reconstruction of engineering and transport infrastructure. The most advanced metal cutting equipment, robotic welding stations and painting chambers will appear at Severnaya Verf.
All the project solutions will meet up-to-date environment and safety requirements. The project is aimed at building up the shipyard output, improvement of labour productivity, reduction of ship construction terms.
No personnel reduction is foreseen.
The project to be financed through the Federal Targeted Programme will be implemented in four phases.
The first phase (2016 - 2017) provides for reconstruction of the western embankment and construction of new utilities. Investments into this phase are estimated at some RUB 2 bln.
The second phase (2016 - 2019) implies the construction of the dry dock’s phase 1 with a dock area, covered slip, new painting chambers and installation of Goliath-type crane of 1,200 t in capacity and two cranes of 350 t in capacity. Investments – about RUB 14 bln. State expert approval of this phase is scheduled for spring 2016.
The third phase (2019 – 2021) will include the construction of a new hull plating shop, metal storage facility and a logistics complex. Investments will total some RUB 15 bln.
The fourth phase (2022 – 2024) is foreseen for extension of the dry dock, construction of a new two-way slip and reconstruction of the outfitting quay. Investments will be estimated upon completion of the project documents.
By today, design and estimate documentation has been completed for the first phase. Designing and engineering survey that are underway for the second phase will be completed in the middle of 2016.
The new complex will let build a wide range of warships and civil ships (including large capacity ships) and will ensure flexible approach for prompt responding to market situation.
Besides, new facilities will provide for assembling ships from large-size blocks with the use of high-capacity cranes while most of operations will be performed in covered shops thus allowing to comply with global shipbuilding efficiency standards.
OJSC "Severnaya Verf" Shipyard (corporate member of United Shipbuilding Corporation) is a leading shipbuilding company in Russia, building more than 75% of the Russian military surface warships. The company was founded on November 14, 1912, as "Putilovskaya Shipyard."
The company is dedicated to construction, repair and retrofitting of surface warships, including destroyers, frigates, corvettes under the state defense contracts for the Russian Navy. The company also executes contracts for foreign Navies under military and technical cooperation. Severnaya Verft also specializes in commercial shipbuilding for the domestic and foreign markets, manufacturing PSVs of various types, icebreakers, tankers and 12,000 dwt dry cargo carriers.
United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC OJSC) is the largest shipbuilding company in Russia. It was set up in 2007 with 100% federal ownership. The holding comprises 60 companies and organizations (major shipbuilding and shiprepairing companies as well as leading design bureaus). Currently, USC consolidates about 80% of the domestic shipbuilding complex. The Russian market is the main focus of the state corporation though it also exports its products to 20 countries worldwide.