The Admiralty Shipyard in St Petersburg, part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, has signed contracts to build a fleet of six high-capacity factory trawlers for the Russian Fishery Company (RFC), the Far East-based fishing company that is Russia’s largest catcher.
The six ST-192 trawlers with a 108 metre overall length and a 21 metre beam are in addition to RFC’s order for a single vessel placed at a Vigo yard, and the contract with Admiralty Shipyard specifies options for two more vessels.
The last of the six is due to be completed by 2023 and the deal is worth more than 37 billion rubles, with the construction of the six trawlers at the Admiralty Shipyard taking place within the investment quotas framework.
The new vessels are expected to gradually replace RFC’s existing fleet of twelve factory vessels that currently have an average of thirty years of service behind them, allowing RFC to completely renew its fleet in the coming 5-7 years.
Admiralty Shipyards general director Alexandr Buzakov expressed his thanks to RFC for placing its trust with the yard. He noted that the construction of fishing vessels is an important aspect of the yard’s civil activities and pledged that the contracts will be executed in full and on time.
RFC general manager Andrei Teterkin expressed his appreciation to the United Shipbuilding Corporation for preparing the way for the agreement. He commented that the company had ‘very carefully approached the process of choosing a contractor for the construction of ships.’
‘The conditions of the Far Eastern area mean that there are special quality and technical requirements for the new trawlers. It is important for us to ensure efficient work on board and safety of crews, so we chose a Russian shipyard with a rich experience in building both civil and military vessels,’ Andrei Teterkin said.
