The regional authorities mull ordering a two-deck modern hospital vessel
The launching ceremony for the first passenger hydrofoil of Meteor 120R designed by Alexeev’s Hydrofoil Design Bureau was held August 3 in Kuznetsovo, Chkalovky District, Nizhny Novgorod Region, at its modern shipyard. The delivery of Meteor 120R class first vessel to the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra (KhMAO) scheduled for this September with its sister ship to be delivered in September 2022. The hydrofoils are being built under the region’s river fleet renewal programme, the KhMAO government’s press office said.
The ceremony was attended by Ms Natalya Komarova, Governor of KhMAO; Andrey Sanosyan, Deputy Governor 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.
It is noted that due to the geographical and climatic features of the Autonomous Okrug, this type of ships is in demand and most suitable for passenger traffic in the Ob-Irtysh basin.
The Meteor class hydrofoils have been in operation for over 30 years now. In 2020 it was decided to build a pair of new generation Meteor-120R boats for Ugra. The vessels will transport passengers on the following routes: Khanty-Mansiysk - Urmanny and Ob'ye - Berezovo - Nizhny Narykary.
Ms Natalya Komarova said that the regional authorities are looking into building a floating two-deck modern hospital. The hospital vessel design will be developed by Alexeev’s Hydrofoil Design Bureau.
“In Russia we pioneered the placing of a medical treatment facility on a river vessel and we have experience in this. This floating hospital will enable us to provide modern medical treatment services in hard-to-reach settlements,” said the KhMAO Governor.