USC, Astrakhan region mull Russia's first shipbuilding zone
Andrei Dyachkov, President of United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) and Alexander Zhilkin, Governor of the Astrakhan region on October 11, 2012 signed a cooperation agreement, including among others the creation of a special economic zone (SEZ) which would be specializing in shipbuilding, the USC press release said.
The two parties will team up to submit a joint application to the government to create Russia's first zone of shipbuilding pursuant to the federal law on support of domestic shipbuilding and shipping sector.
Andrey Dyachkov said the Corporation will invest at least RUB 120m in the first phase of the pilot project for creation of industrial and shipbuilding economical zones in the largest sea ports of the country. The zone is planned to be based at Lotus Shipyard and Astrakhan Shipbuilding Production Association, part of CNRG Group, controlled by United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC). The shipbuilding park will also encompass land in Narimanov district area.
United Shipbuilding Corporation was founded in 2007 as a 100-percent state-owned group of companies by the Presidential Decree № 394 (March 21, 2007). The Corp. consolidates about 70% of the domestic shipbuilding industry and incorporates three regional shipbuilding centers, nine engineering and design offices and 39 dockyards. The Group builds ships for Russian customers and exports its products to 20 countries.
Astrakhan-based Lotos Shipyard specializes in the construction of top-side superstructures modules of fixed offshore drilling platforms, designed for exploration and production of oil and gas. The shipbuilding company’s major stockholders are United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), Caspian Energy Group (CNRG) and the Astrakhan regional government. Since 2012 the shipbuilding company has been under control of USC.
Astrakhan Shipbuilding Production Association is one of the largest shipbuilding companies in the region specializing in the construction of DWT 5,740 rive-sea tankers of Project 15,781, of semi-submersible drilling rigs of Project 10170 (SSDR 6000/300), fixed drilling platforms modules, barges, different types of vessels (tankers, container ships, floating cranes, bulk carriers, etc.).
