On October 12, 2016 the Astrakhan Branch Fleet, consisting of 22 vessels, was replenished with another vessel, Urengoy hopper dredger, previously operated by the Azovo-Chernomorsky Basin Branch in the seaports of Caucasus and Temryuk.

Urengoy hopper dredger became the third dredging vessel in the fleet of the branch in addition to the two dredgers, Ivan Cheremisinov and Artemy Volynsky, currently operated by the Astrakhan Branch.

Using its dredging fleet, the Astrakhan Branch conducts repair dredging works in the waters of the Volga-Caspian Marine Shipping Canal (under economic management of FSUE “Rosmorport”) and in waters of the seaports of Astrakhan and Olya, in order to ensure the safety of merchant shipping.

By the end of 2014, the total volume of dredging conducted by vessels of the Astrakhan Branch to maintain navigation depths in the Volga-Caspian Marine Shipping Canal amounted to 1.6 million m3. According to the plans of the branch, the total volume of dredging to be performed this year is 5.3 million m3 of excavated soil.

In addition to dredging works associated with the provision of guaranteed navigation depths on the underwater hydrotechnical structures of the Astrakhan Branch,  in the off-season (winter) period the branch also provides dredging services of its dredging fleet in the Caspian Sea to all interested organizations on a contractual basis.

More detailed information on the terms and procedure for the Astrakhan Brach execution of dredging works can be found in the section “Dredging Services of the Astrakhan Branch.”

For reference:
Urengoy hopper dredger of project No. SO-805 was built in 1974 in Netherlands. The vessel was named in honor of the village of Urengoy, which was founded in 1966 by geologists who discovered the unique Urengoy gas field. Until 1992 the vessel was operated by FGU “Ob-Irtysh river shipping company” (Salekhard). Then the vessel was used in SE “Kuban State Basin Department of waterways and navigation” and in 2008 was transferred to the economic management of FSUE “Rosmorport”.

Technical characteristics of the vessel: