Baltiysky Shipyard launches aft section of Mistral-class LSD «Sevastopol"
Baltiysky Zavod Shipyard today, April 30, 2014 launched the stern section of Mistral-class amphibious assault ship, helicopter landing ship dock (LSD) «Sevastopol", a IAA PortNews correspondent reports from the ceremony.
The launching ceremony was attended by officials of Baltiysky Zavod – Sudostroyeniye LLC, representatives of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, Rosoboronexport OJSC, DCNS STX France, Russian Navy, Russian Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Industry and Trade, representatives of Russian Government in the North-West Federal District.
The stern section is 94 meters in length with launching weight of 6,400 tonnes. The shipyard has performed hull painting and a large amount of outfitting, including pipelaying, insulation, installation of electric equipment of ventilation / condensing systems.
The Baltiysky Shipyard specialists have installed foundations for screw-rudder unit, aft and side ramps, lifting platforms for helicopters and ammunition, hangar gates. Besides, workers have installed equipment in ballast pumps rooms, equipment for towage the warship section to Saint-Nazaire, France based shipyard. The shipyard manufactured and installed all the hatches and doors, cable trays and foundations for the onboard electrical equipment. The section was outfitted with a pipe network of total length of nearly 11,000 m.
STX France Operations Director Jean-Yves Jaouen said "the project proceeds in compliance with all conditions, given the fact that the launching is carried out on schedule."
" We are very pleased with the quality of work that has been performed in St. Petersburg, and we are confident that the stern section will be delivered on time, in mid-June," he said.
General Director of Baltiysky Shipyard Alexei Kadilov added that shipbuilders have received "good experience from French counterparts, which will help further development of the plant."
"Our management of the plant has no doubt that on June 16 the delivery / acceptance certificate for the aft section will be signed, and the hull will go to France," he said.
The Mistral-class LHD displacement is 21,000 tonnes; LOA - 210 meters; speed - 18 knots; cruising range - 20,000 miles; complement - 160, troops - 450 marines, if needed. The ship can deploy a fleet of 16 helicopters including six on the helipad. According to Russian Navy's plans, each Mistral-class ship will carry eight Ka-52K and eight Ka-29 helicopters on board.
Russia and France signed a contract for two French-built Mistral-class helicopter carriers in June 2011. The first Mistral-class ship (Vladivostok) was laid down in Saint Nazaire on February 1. The amphibious assault ship will enter service with the Russian Navy fleet in 2014.
Baltiysky Zavod OJSC specializes in the construction of rank 1 surface-crafts, ice class vessels with nuclear and diesel-electric propulsion plants, nuclear floating energy units, floating distilling plants. The shipyard was set up in 1856. In its history Baltiysky Zavod which has built over 600 ships and vessels was privatized several times and finally the state regained the control when the company was hit by financial problems. In late 2011, the shipyard once more fell under the control of the state represented by the United Shipbuilding Corporation. To preserve the staff and the competence of the shipyard, USC founded Baltiysky Zavod – Sudostroyeniye LLC.
Backlog of orders of Baltiysky Zavod-Sudostroyeniye LLC is currently valued at about RUB 60 billion. The largest orders are: 60-MWt nuclear icebreaker, 25-MWt diesel-electric icebreaker, a floating power-generating unit for the world’s first Floating Nuclear Thermal Power Plant. In 2012, the Company’s turnover was RUB 9 billion, net profit was RUB 50 million.
