On June 7, Onega Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Plant, JSC hold a solemn ceremony of laying the first of three tugboats of Arc4 ice class of the NE038 project, built by order and at the expense of own funds of FSUE “Rosmorport”.

The solemn event was attended by Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Sergey Vakhrukov, Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation from the Republic of Karelia, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic Valentina Pivnenko, First Deputy Head of the Republic of Karelia – Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Karelia Alexander Chepik, Deputy Head of Rosmorrechflot Boris Tashimov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nordic Engineering, JSC Nikolay Shablikov, Director of the Onega Shipyard Vladimir Maizus, and other honored guests.

“I would like to emphasize that we resumed the construction of vessels in 2015. Remember, before that time, for some period, the plant did not function at all. Since then, we have launched 30 vessels, and we also have a good program for the further operation of the plant,” said Nikolai Patrushev, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, while opening the ceremony. – “Many did not believe that the plant would become modern again. But today we got acquainted with the progress of its reconstruction, all the work is being done in high-quality and on time. This will be the first “digital” plant that manufactures products. Efficiency will increase significantly, we will have new job opportunities, and we will build and launch modern vessels faster”.

Nikolai Patrushev noted that the Russian Government continues to pay due attention to the development of the Onega Shipyard. Also, 2 billion rubles has been allocated for the second stage of deep modernization of the plant. Modern technological solutions will be introduced at the modernized enterprise: digital control, robotization of production processes, identification at all stages of production, ship metric technologies, the use of 3D models for the manufacture of components, etc. The profound modernization of the plant and the placement of orders for the construction of vessels at its production facilities will give at least 500 new job opportunities and will contribute to the socio-economic development of the Republic of Karelia and the Petrozavodsk agglomeration.

“This is a significant event for the transport complex. First of all, today we start the construction of the lead reinforced ice class vessel, which will start in the Azov-Black Sea Basin and will help to improve the efficiency of FSUE “Rosmorport”, and will enhance the safety and stability of navigation. We expect that the next vessels of this series will be in demand on Sakhalin and Kamchatka,” stated Boris Tashimov, Deputy Head of Rosmorrechflot. – “Another reason why this event is very important for us is the participation of FSUE “Rosmorport” in financing and implementing the modernization project of the Onega Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Plant. We are extremely interested to load new efficient digital capacities with our orders to help replenish the fleet of the Russian Federation, and to fulfill the task of ensuring safe and stable navigation”.

At the end of his speech, the Deputy Head of Rosmorrechflot expressed gratitude to the staff of the Onega Shipyard, the designers of the vessel and the specialists of FSUE “Rosmorport”, and wished well-coordinated, cohesive and effective work for the successful implementation of the next vessel construction project for the benefit of replenishment and development of the service and auxiliary fleet of Russia.

“Together we are starting a completely different life,” said Vladimir Maizus, Director of the Onega Shipyard, addressing his team. – A new complex is being built behind the fence, planned to be launched this year, and the tugboat that we are laying today is the first vessel that will operate at new capacities and will be built on completely different equipment with different technologies. The technologies which are creating for us by the scientists from the shipbuilding institute are the technologies of tomorrow”.

The Head of the Shipyard noted that two new shallow-draft icebreakers, the most powerful vessels with a low draft in Russia, are also being built at the plant's facilities by order of FSUE “Rosmorport” for the first time. The lead vessel of the project was laid down in May 2023, the laying of the second icebreaker took place in November 2023 with the participation of the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin. Icebreakers will be distinguished by high maneuverability and controllability, as well as increased ice penetration due to the installation of a hull pneumatic washing system – previously such systems were installed only on large icebreakers.

By tradition, the participants of the solemn ceremony installed a plate on the base section of the vessel.

The new 2 MW propeller-powered tugboat is designed to operate in the Azov-Black Sea Basin on inland waterways, as well as, if necessary, in other marine basins. Due to the use of a transverse bow propeller and two independent rotary nozzles the vessel will be provided with high maneuverability and controllability. The vessel will be equipped with a tow winch with a tow hook, and a crane manipulator.

Nordic Engineering, JSC is the design engineer of the new vessels. The main purpose of the tugboats under construction is the pilotage and canting of large-tonnage vessels, pilots delivery to vessels, towing of self-propelled and non-self-propelled vessels, floating objects and structures both on clean water and in ice conditions. Tugboats can also be used to remove vessels from shallow, to help extinguish fires on vessels, as well as floating and coastal facilities, to transport special personnel, cargo on the upper deck, to participate in operations to eliminate emergency oil spills without entering oil slicks, to set and remove buoys.

The autonomy of tugboats in terms of fuel, oil, water and provisions will be at least 10 days in continuous economical operation. The ice class will allow vessels to operate year-round in freezing non-arctic seas.

Laying the keel of this tugboat starts the construction of the series of three such vessels on the Onega Shipyard. The construction is planned using digital vessel construction support technologies created at the Onega Shipyard. It will allow the plant's staff to develop existing competencies in the construction of ice-class vessels, gain new experience and ultimately occupy a worthy niche in solving state tasks to provide the Arctic fleet with the latest vessels. The first tugboat is scheduled for delivery in 2025, the second and third – in 2026.

Main characteristics and main dimensions of the tugboats

Class of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping:	KM Arc4 (hull; machinery) R1 AUT3 FF3WS Tug
Maximum length, m:	29
Maximum width, m:	10
Maximum draft at full displacement, m:	3,2
The autonomy of the vessel in terms of fuel and oil reserves in the economical running mode, days:	10
Maximum speed in clean waters, knots:	11
Draw on the hook, not less, t:	25
Crew, people:	8
Special personell, people:	2