"Saturn" (Rybinsk), "Star" (SPB) and financial-industrial group «Skorostnoi Flot» (High-Speed Fleet) decided to joint efforts in creating and promoting the ships with gas turbines, ShipbuildingRu reports. The works on the first ship will begin in 2008. Experts say that Russia has the demand for such ships, but so far there were no own technologies.
The parties have signed the cooperation agreement. It is supposed that within its frameworks Zvezda will deal with the diesel engines and reducers for the gas turbines to be made by "Saturn". The equipment made at the Petersburg based enterprise will be fitted on the ships and vessels of both the «High-Speed Fleet» and other shipbuilding firms.
The agreement between the companies is concluded for three years. In 2008 Zvezda and Saturn plan to begin development of the first ship gas turbine unit on the basis of the engine with the power of 7000 h.p. having a two-level reducer of new design.