Second and third combination carriers of Project RST54 to undergo sea trials (photo)
The second and the third Volga-Don max combination bulk oil / deck cargo carriers of mixed ‘river-sea’ type, Balt Flot 2 (Hull No 5402) Balt Flot 3 (Hull No 5403), built Oka Shipyard for Balt Flot Tanker (BFT, Saint-Petersburg) headed for sea trials on April 24, 2015, the series designer Marine Engineering Bureau says.
According to the results of the inclining experiment, deadweight of the lead vessel is 5,745 t at draught 3.60 m (river), which is a record for Volga-Don Max class vessels.
The new concept features increased carrying capacity thanks to maximum length and breadth of vessels and extremely full lines not applied before.
Combined carriers of project RST54 ensure loading for both directions (oil cargo – one way and dry cargo – the other way). Besides, the load on highways can be decreased with the transportation of passenger cars which have traditionally been delivered from Saint-Petersburg to the Central Russia by car carrying trucks. Also, they can carry containers weighing more than allowed for highway transportation.
RST54 project vessels of Volga-Don Max class meet the dimensions of the Volga-Don Ship Canal and Volga-Baltic Waterway. LOA - 140.85 m, beam - 16.6 m, depth – 5.0 m. Class of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping - M-ПР2,5 (ice30) А. Crew - 12 persons (14 places + pilot). Sea endurance - 20 days.
The capacity of the vessel’s 10 cargo tanks capacity – 5,446 m³, 2 slop tanks - 207 m³. The structure cumplies with МАРПОЛ 73/78 requirements.
Cargo pumps output: 2 x 300 m³/h. Loading speed: 1,200 m³/h.
In its cargo tanks the vessel can carry petroleum products with flash point temperature greater than 60°C. The heating system includes two 2.5 t/h steam-boilers
On its cargo deck: crushed stone; rolled steel; cars (also on removable decks); TEU and FEU containers of international standard; other general and bulk cargoes which can be exposed to wet.
Screw and Rudder: 2 x 1,200 kW Rudderpropellers (IFO380). Bow thruster - 230 kW.
Speed (at draft 3.60 m and 85% MCR): 11.0 knots.
Auxiliary diesel-generators + Emergency diesel-generator: 3 x 296 kW + 62 kW.
The lead vessel of the series, Balt Flot 1 (Hull No 5401), was laid down on December 16, 2013 and launched on July 10, 2014.
The second vessel, Balt Flot 2 (Hull No 5402), was laid down on January 24, 2014 and launched on August 26, 2014.
The third vessel, Balt Flot 3 (Hull No 5403), was laid down on March 5, 2014 and launched on October 24, 2014.
Okskaya Sudoverf (Shipyard “Oka”) based in Navashino of Nizhny Novgorod region was founded in 1907. The modern Okskaya Shipyard JSC was established through privatization of the state enterprise Navashino Shipyard “Oka”. The firm specializes in building multipurpose river and sea going vessels, container carriers, special ships, barges. The company’s major shareholder is Universal Cargo Logistics Holding B.V. (UCL Holding).
UCL Holding is an international transportation group consolidating a number of Russian shipping, stevedoring, shipbuilding, railway and logistic companies. The division also includes Volga Shipping Company, V.F.Tanker, several cruise and shipbuilding companies.