Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard of United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) has completed sea trials of ‘Fort Peter I’, the second high-speed passenger catamaran of Project 04580 Kotlin intended for operation between Saint-Petersburg and Kronshtadt. The trials were held in two phases, in the water area of the Neva river and in the Ladoga lake. The ship’s speed and maneuvering characteristics were checked as well as operation of the mechanisms, equipment, automation/communication/navigation systems, says USC.
In the near time, the ship will be delivered to the customer, Neva Travel Company LLC, which is to put the catamaran on a regular line.
The catamarans of Kotlin design are intended for operation on inland water ways and in coastal areas. They ships’ design lets them pass under the bridges of Saint-Petersburg and enter the Gulf of Finland.
Fort Peter I is the second catamaran in the series of six vessels of Project 04580 Kotlin ordered by Neva Travel Company LLC. The catamaran laid down in spring 2022 will service the water route linking Saint-Petersburg with the Museum and Historical Park ‘Land of Forts’. The construction is supervised by Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.
‘Fort Kronshlot’, the lead ship in the series, was laid down in spring 2022, launched on 27 April 2023, and put on a regular line in 20 June 2023.
The project focused on the development of tourism and recreation cluster ‘Land of Forts’ foresees the construction of 10 vessels by 2025 (Kotlin and Sommers design).
Particulars of Project 04580 Kotlin catamaran: LOA – 32 m; BOA – 8.7 m; depth – 1.4 m; draft – 1.32 m; engines - 2х882 kW; seakeeping capability – up to 4 points; speed max – about 57 km/h; passenger capacity – up to 200 people (including individuals with disabilities), crew – 3; hull and superstructure – aluminum-magnesium alloy.
Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard JSC, a part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, was set up in 1912. The shipyard has built over 600 warships and vessels for the Russian Navy and foreign customers (13 countries worldwide). Currently, the shipyard builds missile boats, trawlers, passenger and work vessels for various purposes and is about to start the large-scale construction of mine warships of the new generation for the Russian Navy and foreign countries. Today, the shipyard is the leader of composite shipbuilding in Russia and the only plant in the country to build warships and civil vessels of 4 types of materials: composite materials, shipbuilding steel, nonmagnetic steel, aluminum and fiberglass. The shipyard has mastered the technology of building hulls of composite materials through vacuum infusion method.