The keel-laying is scheduled for May
Shipbuilding Plant “Lotos” of USC’s Southern Center of Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Lotos Shipyard) has commenced cutting steel for the lead container ship of Project 00108, according to USC.
The shipbuilding contract was signed in December 2022.
The keel-laying ceremony is scheduled for May with the delivery of the series to be completed in 2025.
Project 00108 was developed by Nizhny Novgorod based design bureau Vympel (an asset of USC). It is Russia’s first design of a dry bulk / container carrier able to transport that number of containers of international standard (531 units) including reefer containers. Besides, the ship has 2 holds for transportation of any dry bulk cargo including grain, timber and general cargo. The ship also features high capacity for transportation of oversize cargo.
The ship is of Volgo-Don Max class with the maximum possible dimensions and displacement to transit the Volga-Don Canal.
Key particulars: LOA — 141 m, BOA — 16.9 m, depth — 6.3 m, capacity of holds – 12,000 cbm, deadweight (sea) — 9,200 t (with draft of 5.3 m), deadweight (river) – 5,000 t (with draft of 3.6 m), speed — 10; propulsion – two diesel engines of 1,200 kW and two pod drives produced by Zvezdochka. Two auxiliary diesel generators of 400 kW each can supply power for 60 reefer containers.
According to earlier statements, each ship costs RUB 1.74 billion. They are to be operated on the North-South international transport corridor (ITC).
Shipbuilding Plant “Lotos” of USC’s Southern Center of Shipbuilding and Ship Repair (Lotos Shipyard) is an anchor resident of Astrakhan Special Economic Zone (Astrakhan SEZ). The shipyard specializes in construction of hulls for various ships and offshore facilities.
United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC OJSC) is the largest shipbuilding company in Russia. It was set up in 2007 with 100% federal ownership. The holding comprises about 40 companies and organizations (major shipbuilding and shiprepairing companies as well as leading design bureaus). Currently, USC consolidates the bulk of the domestic shipbuilding complex. The Russian market is the main focus of the state corporation though it also exports its products to 20 countries worldwide.