The base is to be put into operation in the third quarter of 2023
The works on creation of ship maintenance base in Ust-Luga starting with ensuring afloat repair and up to opening of a 180-meter dock are at the phase of finding a contractor. The current political and economic situation, on the on hand, facilitates the project implementation by encouraging the market localization. On the other hand, it hinders the supply of materials and equipment, hence the concern of potential customers and aggravation of the staffing problem. The issue was in the focus of Vasily Strugov, Deputy General Director of FSUE Rosmorport, at the Maritime Congress.
According to him, the new ship repair facility in Ust-Luga will be fully intended for repairing of the state company’s fleet numbering 291 units including its new ferry General Chernyakhovsky which is to join Ust-Luga-Baltiysk line by the end of the year. “Taking into account the number of ships, the demand for repair and modernization of ships, we expect that the company operating round the year will be loaded with orders until 2030,” he said adding that modernization of icebreakers of Projects 1105 and 1101 would facilitate the base development.
Modernization of icebreakers of Project 1105 is to be conducted in cooperation with Nordic Engineering. As for Project 1101, a design bureau is being selected to ensure the extension of the icebreaker’s service life to 15 years, told Vasily Strugov.
“As of today, we a looking for a contractor to create a ship repair base in Ust-Luga. Unfortunately, we have not found it so far… We are going to launch the base in the third quarter of 2023 and to commence afloat repairs, with no docking at first. Then we are going to build a dock for about 3,500 — 5,000 tonnes which is to ensure maintenance of some 70% of our own ships. The largest ships are – 200-meter long ferry Marshall Rokossovsky and the heaviest ship is icebreaker Victor Chernomyrdin. In the future, we are going to have a dock with a capacity of 20 thousand tonnes, length of 180 meters and width of 34.5 meters,” said Vasily Strugov.
He emphasized that the key reason behind creation of a repair base in Ust-Luga is the minimization of risks associated with foreign ship repair companies’ restrictions and consequent overloading of domestic yards. According to Vasily Strugov, Ust-Luga has an advantage of a short ice period while its disadvantages are remoteness from logistics bases and staffing, the latter being aggracated by mobilization. Other negative factors are the problems with the supply of new equipment and spare parts.
The fleet maintenance base in the port of Ust-Luga is intended for accommodation and maintenance of port fleet (tugboats, pilot vessels, oil skimmers, boom-laying boats, etc.), collection and disposal of waste from ships calling at the port of Ust-Luga, as well as monitoring and response to oil spills. It was in an active phase of construction between 2011 and 2017. Major works on construction and assembling of buildings and facilities were completed as well as major works on development of utility networks and installation of equipment. However, a bankruptcy procedure initiated against General Contractor PST JSC in 2017 lead to a cancellation of the state contract and all construction works were terminated. Design works for completion of the facility was conducted by NPK MorTransNiiProekt OJSC.
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