JSC Alexeev’s Hydrofoil Design Bureau says it has launched the first passenger hydrofoil of Meteor 120R design, today, 3 August 2021. The ceremony was held in Kuznetsovo, Chkalovky District, Nizhny Novgorod Region, where the modern shipyard is located. According to the statement, the first Meteor 120R will be sent to the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area under the programme on river fleet modernization.
The ceremony was attended by Natalya Komarova, Governor of KMAA; Andrey Sanosyan, Deputy Goveernor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region; Boris Kabakov, Director of the Department of the Shipbuilding Industry and Marine Equipment of the Ministry of Industry and Trade; Georgy Antsev, BoD Charman, Alexeev’s Hydrofoil Design Bureau; Sergey Italyantsev, General Director of the design bureau and other honored guests.
“New ships allow for launching new routes and enhance accessibility of transport to settlements in non-metropolitan areas. The ship was designed under the state programme for the development of shipbuilding and equipment for offshore projects through 2030 supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Passenger fleet modernization became possible thanks to the state programme of subsidized leasing”, emphasized Denis Manturov, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.
“Launching of the new Meteor 120R is a landmark event for the entire national shipbuilding and particularly for the Nizhny Novgorod Region... Legendary ships that brought the name of Rostislav Alexeev into repute were designed here. Earlier, we could only dream about resuming the serial construction of hydrofoils and today it is a reality: 11 Valdai ships have been launched, they operate in three regions of Russia including six routes in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. Today, we are witnessing the launching of the lead Meteor 120R and there are plans for further development of hydrofoils segment”, said Nizhny Novgorod Governor Gleb Nikitin.
“Meteor 120R is a symbiosis of the best traditions of Rostislav Alexeev’s shipbuilding school and innovative engineering solutions”, said Georgy Antsev, BoD Charman, Alexeev’s Hydrofoil Design Bureau.
The lead river-going passenger hydrofoil of Project 03580, Meteor 120R, was laid down in Nizhny Novgorod on 23 December 2019.
The Meteor designed by Alexeev’s Hydrofoil Design Bureau used to operate in 30 countries worldwide.