First cargo ship of Project RSD49 Neva-Leader-2 passes acceptance trials
The M/V Neva-Leader-2, the lead vessel of a series of multipurpose dry bulk carriers of Project RSD49 built at Nevsky Shipyard for North-Western Shipping Company has successfully passed acceptance, handover trials on November 12, 2012, the shipbuilding company's press release said.
Overall, the NWSCo placed orders for 12 vessels of RSD49 project with two Russian shipbuilding companies. Ten serial bulkers will be constructed at Nevsky Shipyard, two ships - at Astrakhan-based Lotos Shipyard. The lead ship of the series was outfitted at Petrozavodsk-based Onega docks and launched in May. On October 24, the vessel completed shipbuilder’s sea trials.
The Volga-Don Max vessels of mixed river-sea sailing are designed for transportation of general and bulk cargoes, including steel, grain, timber, coal, oversized and heavy-lift and dangerous cargoes of classes 1.4S, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.1, 8, 9 by IC IMDG and Annex B of the BC Code in the Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Baltic, White and North seas, including sailings around Europe and in the Irish Sea during winter season.
The series vessel (in contrast to other Volga-Don max class ships created by Marine Engineering Bureau) features a 52-m-long middle cargo hold for shipping oversized project cargo on direct Europe - Caspian Sea lane. This should make the vessel operation cost-effective.
The project was designed to CM Ice2 R2 AUT1-C of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping and meets all the requirements of international conventions, effective as of the vessel’s keel-laying.
Currently, the RSD49 vessels (like its prototype RSD19) are by far the largest of dry cargo ships that satisfy the dimensions of Volga-Don Shipping Canal.
Ship’s main characteristics: sea / river draft – 4.70m / 3.60m, sea / river DWT – 7150t / 4520t; length overall - 139.95 m, breadth overall - 16.70 m, depth - 6.00 m; cargo holds capacity - 10,920 cbm.
About Nevsky Shipyard
Nevsky Shipyard LLC, a subsidiary of JSC North-Western Shipping Company (part of UCL Holding), is located 40 km from Saint-Petersburg in Shlisselburg on the left bank of the Neva River. The company has been engaged in shipbuilding since 1952. Nevsky Shipyard builds sea-going and river vessels of various types and purposes and provides all kinds of ship repair. Nevsky Shipyard’s slipway allows launching and lifting for repair 140-m-long vessels with dock weight of up to 2500 tons.
About North-Western Shipping
North-Western Shipping Company is the largest carrier in Russia’s water transport system, specializing in shipping import / export general cargo, bulk, suction and grab bulk cargoes, oversized cargo and vessels. The company’s fleet comprises about 105 cargo ships of total DWT 350,000 tons, including 83 mixed-sailing "river-sea” vessels, 8 barges, 8 tugs and 6 auxiliary ships. The NWS Company transports 6 million tons of different cargo a year. The Company is member of VBTH, a shipping division of UCL Holding, majority-owned by VBTH), consolidating a number of Russian rail, stevedoring and logistics assets. The division also includes Volga and Western Company, several cruise and shipbuilding companies.
