The ships are intended for the Khanty-Mansijsk Autonomous District under its passenger fleet modernization programme
A solemn keel-laying ceremony has been held today, 2 March 2021, at Zelenodolsk Plant named after A.M. Gorky, being a part of Ak Bars Shipbuilding Corporation, JSC (a group of companies JSC “Ak Bars Holding Company”) for two high-speed passenger hydrofoils of Project 03830, Meteor-2020, says press center of the corporation.
The ceremony has been attended by Andrey Zobnitsev, Deputy Governor of the Khanty-Mansijsk Autonomous District – Yugra; Zakhary Dzhioyev, Deputy Head of the Federal Marine and River Transport Agency; Ildar Gilmutdinov, Deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation; Airat Chumarin, General Director of Severrechflot; Ivan Egorov, Director General of Ak Bars Holding Company; Renat Mistakhov, Director General of Ak Bars Shipbuilding Corporation; as well as representatives of the Tatarstan authorities, the designer and other organizations.
Thus, the construction of the legendary Meteors has been resumed. Between 1961 and 2006, Zelenodolsk Plant named after A.M. Gorky was the only company in Russia engaged in serial construction of high-speed Meteor-type hydrofoils. The shipyard has built more than 350 passenger ships of that type. They joined IWW fleets of Russia, Bulgaria, Vietnam, China, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.
The contract for the construction of two passenger hydrofoils of project 03830 between Zelenodolsk Shipyard, Severrechflot and Mashpromleasing was signed on 26 January 2021. The ship designer is Sea Tech Ltd. headquartered in Nizhny Novgorod. According to the statement, other regions of the Russian Federation express their interest to Meteor-2020 hydrofoils.
Meteor-2020 ships have a number of advantages over the existing hydrofoils and meet international requirements on comfort and safety.
The ship’s modern type of foils ensure higher over-wave performance, operation in shallow waters and approaching of wild beaches.
Apart from enhancing seaworthiness, special attention was paid to improving accommodation conditions for passengers and crewmembers during long voyages (8 hours and longer). Fuel endurance of 13 hours contributes to the ship safety.
The layout is with a passenger compartment with 122 seats and an extended crew rest area.
The crew’s premises include two cabins, a dining room, a ticket office, a galley unit, which provides for the catering of passengers, similar to that adopted on aircraft and high-speed trains.
The passenger compartment is equipped with aviation-type folding seats and luggage racks above the same type of seats. The step of the seats and the width of the seat are selected taking into account a comfortable stay during a long flight. There are multimedia entertainment, Wi-Fi system, local lighting / climate control panels, gadget recharging devices. There is the necessary equipment and conditions for the transportation of persons with disabilities. In the aft part there is a compartment for bulky luggage and an outdoor walking area.
The 03830 design is the winner of the European Product Design Award.
When speaking at the ceremony, Andrey Zobnitsev, Deputy Governor of the Khanty-Mansijsk Autonomous District, thanked the shipbuilders of Zelenodolsk Plant and expressed confidence that the Yugra would order more hydrofoils, thus the Meteor-2020 series would be extended.