At least 45 new container ships of Volgo-Don Max class are needed for the operation of North-South international transport corridor (ITC) crossing the Caspian Sea. Their total cost is estimated at over RUB 78 billion. The current plans foresee the construction of only 25 ships, David Adamia, Deputy General Director for Civil Shipbuilding, United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) said in his interview with RBC.
According to David Adamia, four container ships are ordered by one of Russian shipping companies. Those vessels will be operated by a shipping company of USC.
The preliminary order portfolio of USC numbers 130 ships for the North-South corridor. Apart from 25 construction ships, USC has secured orders for 10 dry cargo carriers and 5 chemical tankers. In case of privileged financing (leasing), orders for at least 90 various ships are expected from the Caspian ship owners. David Adamia says USC has also got two requests for construction of ferries for neighboring countries: 16 ferries and a series of up to 5 units.
In December 2022, USC’s Southern Center of Shipbuilding and Ship Repair of United Shipbuilding Corporation signed a contract for construction and delivery of four multipurpose dry bulk / container carriers of Project 00108, according to earlier reports of IAA PortNews. Two ships are to be delivered in 2024, two — in 2025. Each ship costs RUB 1.741 billion. As Ilya Volynsky, Minister of Industry, Trade and Energy of the Astrakhan Region, said in March 2023, the series may be increased to 21 units.
Project 00108 was developed by Nizhny Novgorod based design bureau Vympel (an asset of USC). The ship is of Volgo-Don Max class with the maximum possible dimensions and displacement to transit the Volga-Baltic Waterway and the Volga-Don Canal in the framework of the North-South ITC.
In February 2023, RF Government prepared passports of investment projects for modernization of air and water transport. RUB 136 billion will be allocated for the construction of sea and river going ships between 2023 and 2027. That will let domestic shipping companies get 260 civil ships within the coming 6 years including 119 cargo ships, 73 passenger ships, 27 ships of the dredging flee, 1 floating dock, 5 large and 5 towing ships, 20 barges.