Arctech lays keel of icebreaking supply vessel for Sovcomflot
Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Inc. has commenced the hull assembly of a Multifunctional Icebreaking Supply Vessel NB-506. The keel-laying ceremony was held  on January 19, 2012 at Helsinki Shipyard for two icebreaking supply vessels ordered by Russian shipping company Sovcomflot a year ago. - more >>>

Baltic Fleet to expand with three new harbor tugs
Auxiliary force of the Baltic Fleet (BF) will take delivery of three new harbor tugs of Project 90600 tugs, being built at St. Petersburg-based Pella Shipyard, Rusnavy reports. – more >>> 

Damen Shipyards delivers three CSDs to Azerbaijan
On January 24, 2012 Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards delivered three Cutter Suction Dredgers of its CSD 500 series to the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) in Azerbaijan, the Group news release said. - more >>> 

Zaliv Shipyard starts building PSV for Bergen
Ukraine’s Zaliv Shipyard has commenced construction of the hull’s block of a platform supply vessel ordered by Norway’s company Bergen, the shipyard press office said. In early January the first 150-ton block, consisting of a bottom and tween-deck sections, was laid in the dry dock of Zaliv Shipyard. – more >>>

Rosmorport to have six new pilot boats in H2 2012
SUE Rosmorport plans to put into service six new pilot boats, currently being built at Moscow Shipyard. The vessels delivery is scheduled for the second half of 2012, the federal company said.  - more >>> 

Rosmorport mulls serial ice-class pilot boats
Rosmorport plans to order a series of pilot boats of ice class. Pella Shipyard is now building a multipurpose ice-class boat designed by UK-based Camarc Design for the North-West branch of Rosmorport. The ship’s length is about 23 m, speed – not less than 20 knots. – more >>> 

Severnaya Veft to build two new warships for Russian Navy
Two new warships will be laid down for the Russian Navy, RIA Novosti reports citing a Defense Ministry spokesman. – more >>>

Zvezda-DSME Shipyard anticipates newbuilds orders in 2013
The first phase of construction of Bolshoi Kamen-based Zvezda-DSME (Primorsky Territory), a JV of S.Korean Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engeneering (DSME) and Russian United Shipbuilding Corp. - more >>>

Rosmorport invites bids for dredging of Don river stretch in 2012
Rosmorport’s Azov branch has announced an open tender for contract for maintenance dredging works in 2012 on the Don River, a stretch from the village of Azov to the village of Aksai, the federal enterprise reports. – more >>>

Copyright: Gazflot

One of Russia´s top offshore exploration companies might be up for sale.

Gazprom is preparing for the sale of Gazflot, the 100 percent subsidiary specialized on offshore drilling, seismic exploration and geological engineering, newspaper Moskovskie Novosti reports.

Gazflot focuses exclusively on the Barents Sea, the Pechora Sea, the Yamal shelf and the Ob and Taz Bays. It has a branch company in Murmansk.

Gazprom reportedly wants to get rid of the exploration company ahead of its planned major investments in shipbuilding and offshore oil and gas facilities, RIA Novosti reports. According to the company´s long-term programme for the shelf, several dozens of tankers, service vessels, as well as rigs and platforms are planned built before year 2030.

With the selling of Gazflot, Gazprom might be able to significantly reduce its investments on the shelf, Moskovskie Novosti argues. Instead, it will be up to the new owners of Gazflot to take on the offshore investments.

Arkadii Rottenberg is believed to be the likely buyer of Gazflot. Rottenberg already in 2010 acquired the Gazprom Burenie (“Gazprom Drilling”) company for 4 billion RUB. Gazflot will be the perfect complementary match for Rottenberg, analysts say.

If buing the company, Mr. Rottenberg, a long time close associate of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, will become a key player in the Arctic. From before, the business tycoon controls the company Stroygazmontazh, a main supplier of pipes to Gazprom. Curiously, Rottenberg also controls a major stake in the bank Severny Morskoy Put (“Northern Sea Route”), a company with a name nicely matching the activities he now looks set to embark on with Gazflot. According to Forbes, Mr. Rottenberg in 2011 had a net fortune of $1.1 billion.

Copyright: Thomas Nilsen

By 2020 the nuclear icebreakers “Arktika”, “Sibir” and “Rossiya” will be scrapped. This will be done at one of the shipyards in the Russian Barents.

Except of the world’s first nuclear-powered icebreaker “Lenin”, the three vessels bound for scrapping are the oldest in Atomflot’s fleet.

Scrapping of one single icebreaker costs more than 1.5 billion rubles (€37.6 million), Arcticuniverse.ru writes.

In December 2011 Ministry of Transport signed a contract with the United Shipbuilding Corporation on construction of four diesel-powered icebreakers. Construction is planned to start in 2012.

Russia’s next three-year budget also includes RUB 20 billion for the construction of a new nuclear-powered icebreaker.

When it comes to where the old icebreakers will be cut into scrap metal, there are three places in question: Severodvinsk outside Arkhangelsk, where the two giant shipyards Sevmash and Zvezdochka are located; shipyard number 82 in Roslyakovo in the Kola Bay; the Nerpa shipyard in Snezhnogorsk by the Kola Bay.

“Sibir” was launched in 1977. It has been moored in Murmansk since 1992, after being taken out of service because of a technical error in the vessel’s steam generator system. “Arktika” was launched in 1975 and was taken out of service in 2008. “Rossiya” was put on water in 1985 and is still in operation.

From 1959 to 1992, a total of nine civilian nuclear-powered vessels were built in the Soviet Union. Of these, eight were icebreakers and one a container ship (the “Sevmorput”). In the period 1994-2007, the last of the country’s nuclear-powered icebreakers was built, the largest of them all – the “50 Years Victory”.

Baltic Shipyard still has not commenced execution of a contract for construction of Floating Nuclear Power Plant, though the Customer Rosenergoatom Concern had transferred RUB 640 million to fund the newbuild order, Rosenergoatom said.

In March 2009, St. Petersburg-based Baltic Shipyard was awarded a contract for construction of the FNPP from Rosenergoatom, a Russian nuclear engineering Group. Baltic Shipyard specializing in the construction of surface nuclear-powered vessels is a shipbuilding asset owned by United Industrial Corporation (USC) but currently in crises management of United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC).

In June 2010, the shipbuilder successfully launched the first power generating unit and started outfitting works. The vessel was scheduled for delivery in 2012. In 2009-2010, Rosenergoatom transferred to Baltic Shipyard RUB 5.7 billion, which accounts for 66 percent of the contract total value. However, the shipbuilding firm was hit by a crises when the UIC’s MezhpromBank was announced bankrupt and RUB 1.9bn of upfront payment were frozen. So, the shipyard failed to ensure the contract execution. In December 2010 the Group confirmed the order performance by the shipyard in the amount of about 900 million rubles. In 2011, there was a significant slowdown in the newbuild construction. In January – August, the enterprise completed only half of the planned scope of work, which substantially restricted the ability of Baltic Shipyard to fulfill the contract terms and schedule, Rosenergoatom statement said.

The Concern comprises ten brunches, or all Russian nuclear plants, which operate 32 power units (16 reactors with water under pressure: 10 VVER-1000 and 6 – VVER – 440;
15 channel boiling reactors: 11 RBMK-1000 and 4 EGP-6; 1 fast neutron reactor), 7 directorates of NPPs under construction, and also Department of Capital Construction of Rostov Nuclear Power Plant under Construction’, Directorate of Floating Thermal Nuclear Power Plants under Construction’, Research and Development Center for Emergency Work at NPPs, Project Designing Branch, Engineering Branch and Engineering and Technical Center of Nuclear Plants.

St. Petersburg-based Baltic Shipyard is one of the largest shipbuilding enterprises in Russia. The company specializes in the construction of diesel and nuclear-powered icebreakers, ice-class vessels, heavy lift vessels and warships. The company manufactures a wide range of engineering products and power equipment.

United Shipbuilding Corporation is a 100-percent state-owned group of companies established by the Presidential Decree № 394 (March 21, 2007). The Corporation consists of nine engineering and design offices and 39 dockyards. The USC’ largest shipbuilding assets include Kaliningrad-based JSC Yantar Shipyard, JSC Admiralty Shipyards (St. Petersburg), JSC PA Sevmash (Severodvinsk), JSC DVZ Zvezda (Vladivostok) and Baltic Shipyard (in operational management). USC holds a 50% stake in Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, a joint venture with STX Finland Cruise Oy.

Severnaya Verf hands over a PSV to Norwegian company
Shipyard “Severnaya Verf” delivered today, October 21st, an offshore platform supply vessel built to Norwegian company Solvik Hull Supplies II AS, the PortNews correspondent reports. The vessel of Project VS 485 PSV is intended for transportation of mud, dry bulk, methanol and general cargo on an open deck, and is able to participate in the rescue and evacuation operations, fire fighting on oil platforms in the harsh conditions of the North Atlantic. – more >>>

Nobel Bros Shipyard to launch RST25 Project tanker for MRS in mid-November
The ceremony of launching the lead ship of a series of Project RST25 oil tankers ordered by Moscow River Shipping will be held at Nobel Bros’ Shipyard in mid-November, the shipping company said. Tankers of project RST-25 designed by Marine Engineering Bureau are a new class of ‘river-sea’ tankers equipped with six cargo tanks designed to carry crude oil and petroleum products, including gasoline, with no flash point limits and enhanced environmental safety and automation. – more >>>

Russia: Okskaya Shipyard Launches Eighth Vessel Out of 10 Multipurpose Bulk Carriers
On October 14 the eight vessel out of 10 multipurpose bulk carriers under RSD-44 project for Volga Shipping Company was launched at Okskaya shipyard (Navashino, Nizhegorodskaya region). Vessel was called “Captain Yurov”. Six motor vessels of this series are already working on the inner waterways, seventh vessel “Captain Afanasiev” is now being tested at the Okskaya Shipyard. – more >>>

PJSC Kherson Shipyard lays keel of first product tanker for SVL
On 21 October at the slip of PJSC Kherson shipyard keel laying of the first product tanker of a series, project RST27, for SVL group of companies, Malta, took place. The ship design has been developed by the Marine Engineering Bureau (Odessa). Tanker is designed for mixed (river-sea) carriage of bulk crude oil and petroleum products, including benzene, without limitation as for flash point, ensuring transportation of cargo maintaining temperature 60°С. – more >>>

Russia plans the ultimate destroyer
The Russian Federation is developing a new destroyer that should replace ships of three classes: The destroyer, the major anti-submarine ship and the missile cruiser. This will be a modern universal ship that will outstrip major anti-submarine ships since it will be equipped with advanced modern weapons. – more >>>

FSUE Rosmorport Purchases Hitachi 102 Dredger 
FSUE “Rosmorport” purchased a non-propelled HITACHI 102 dredger for the needs of the Sakhalin branch at it’s own expense. The dredger is in the seaport of Otaru area at the moment and it will be tugged to the seaport of Korsakov in the beginning of November 2011. – more >>> 

Two new icebreakers on the ways
Arctech Helsinki Shipyard has started construction of two new icebreakers for Russia’s largest shipping company Sovcomflot. The two Multifunctional Icebreaking Supply Vessels (MIBSV) are planned to be ready by spring 2013 and will be used as supply vessels for Exxon Neftegas’ platform at the Sakhalin-1 field, Regnum reports. – more >>>

Severnaya Verf, GSE Sandwik ink agreement for building PSVs for Arctic offshore fields
St. Petersburg-based Severnaya Verf and GSE Sandwik (Norway) have signed an agreement on the construction of platform supply vessels for operation at the Arctic offshore deposits, the Russian shipyard’s head said speaking at the signing of the certificate of acceptance of a PSV built for Solvik Hull Supplies II AS. The agreement details were not disclosed. – more >>>

Interview with Murat Bayar, Turkish Defence Industry Secretary:

[...]

APA: What about naval cooperation?

Bayar: Ares Shipyard is holding talks on this issue. Recently, Yonca-Onuk had similar talks. Turkey has five to six shipyards for building warships. We think that these shipyards can work for Azerbaijan, too. We can produce attack warships there.

APA: Dearsan Company also applied for joint production, but their cooperation with another littoral Caspian country prevented its participation.

Bayar: Our shipyards are owned by private companies and are working in different countries. Dearsan is a veteran shipyard and has no problem with working in Azerbaijan, too. But there are alternatives and we will consider other options.

[...]

Click HERE for the full article.

Russian state oil company Rosneft , which backed out of an Arctic drilling deal with BP following objections from the Russian partners in BP’s local joint venture, TNK-BP , has hired a BP executive to advise its chief executive on offshore issues. Larry Bates was a vice president in BP’s Moscow office, where Rosneft said he was involved in Russian offshore projects.

Before that, he worked at TNK-BP’s Uvat group, one of two new fields in eastern Siberia developed by the BP Russian joint venture in recent years to supply a growing market for Russian crude in Asia.

Rosneft wanted a foreign partner to acquire the expertise it needed develop three prime offshore blocks in the Arctic Kara Sea, and went on to do a deal with ExxonMobil .

The tie-up with BP fell apart when the British major could not overcome objections to the deal from the four Soviet-born billionaires with whom BP shares control of TNK-BP, Russia’s third largest oil producer.

The local partners said BP could only participate in the Rosneft deal through TNK-BP, but Rosneft rejected that idea, in part because it said it wanted offshore experience.

Two large Russian shipbuilding companies, The United Shipbuilding Corporation and the Gorky Zelenodolsk Shipyard, are considering developing their business in Iran, which is under international sanctions, according to Kommersant. 

According to the newspaper, companies are interested in building transport and production ships to develop offshore gas deposits in the Caspian Sea.

“Russia has informed Iran of the two companies’ readiness to construct transport and production ships and marine equipment, as well as to ensure the delivery of Russian marine mechanical engineering equipment needed to develop offshore gas and oil deposits in Iran,” the Russian-Iranian Commission on Trade Cooperation said, as cited by Kommersant.