Astrakhan branch of Ship Repair Center ‘Zvezdochka’ launches rescue towboat SB-427 for RF Defence Ministry

Astrakhan branch of Ship Repair Center ‘Zvezdochka’ (a company of United Shipbuilding Corporation) has launched rescue towboat SB-427 being built to the order of RF Defence Ministry, says Zvezdochka press center.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of RF Navy, Astrakhan Region and Astrakhan authorities, shipyard personnel.

The ship designed by Nizhny Novgorod based DB Vympel is intended for towing and refloating operations, firefighting and rendering medical assistance, executing difficult diving works at the depths of up to 60 metres, collecting spilled oil products, search and survey operations.

The vessel was laid down on 15 November 2016. It is the sixth ship of Project 22870 in the series of rescue towboats ordered to Astrakhan shipyard. The lead ship in the series, SB-45, was delivered to RF Navy in 2014.

Characteristics of the ship: length – 57 meters, width – 14 meters, displacement – 1,200 tonnes, speed – 14 knots.

Ship Repair Center ‘Zvezdochka’ (a company of United Shipbuilding Corporation) was established in 1954. Apart from the head organization in Severodvinsk, Zvezdochka has branches on the Barents, White, Azov, Black and Caspian Seas.

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 40 companies and organizations (major shipbuilding and shiprepairing companies as well as leading design bureaus). Currently, USC consolidates the bulk 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.