The customers cannot find free shipbuilding facilities for this project so far
The project of new ship of Volga-Don Extra Max class has potential customers and it will be ready for implementation in June 2023, IAA PortNews correspondent cites Vadim Mishchenko, Director of Marine Engineering Center SPb, LLC, as saying at the ShippingRu 2023 Conference in Moscow. According to the speaker, the customers cannot find free shipbuilding facilities for this project so far.
The designer currently estimates the construction of such a ship at about RUB 1.35 billion while it could cost RUB 1 billion a year ago.
“The ship model has been successfully tested at the Krylov State Research Center. The design is being approved by RS and it will be ready in June 2023, - explained Vadim Mishchenko. - We expect to begin the construction of a series numbering about five vessels this year. By 2030, we hope that the number of orders can grow to 60.” However, the most acute problem is the shortage of free shipbuilding facilities in Russia. “Domestic shipyards are loaded with military orders, orders for ships to be built in exchange of fishing quotas and under other projects. The construction in China or Turkey are under consideration,” the speaker said.
The project’s local content, according to the designer, is higher than that of other projects in the segment of mixed river/sea navigation, Volgo-Don Max class. “Our design has been developed with respect of the current reality and in compliance with the Decree 719 requirements. Imported equipment includes the Daihatsu engine and a Chinese pod drive. But here, we are also striving towards import substitution: we develop the propeller for their pod drive together with the Krylov State Research Center," said the speaker.
According to him, the ships of new design can help to solve the problem of the growing fleet shortage in Russia. Out of 830 dry cargo ships registered in the Russian Federation as of 2020, the number of Volgo-Don Max ships was 216. In view of the vessels’ age, the total number of dry cargo ships will decrease to 552 by 2025 including 170 Volgo-Don Max ships; by 2030 it will make 208 and 93, respectively. “Therefore, we expect about 160-200 ships to be built by 2030 to develop the Russian economy,” summarized the expert.