Russian Crab has taken delivery of the latest addition to the company’s growing fleet, with the formal christening and handover of vivier crabber Alexandr Sapozhnikov.
The ceremony was held in Saint Petersburg, attaneded by representatives of the Onega Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Plant, which built the new vessel, Russian Crab and members of the family of the company’s former director, Alexander Sapozhnikov, after whom the new vessel has been named.
The 57.70-metre crabber has a 12.60 metre beam and is the fourth in a series of seven. It is built to the same Damen design as the rest of the series being built for the company, with accommodation for a crew of up to 24 and an operational endurance of 40 days.
The first three vessels in the CCa5712LS design series were commissioned between 2023 and 2025. The vivier crabbers feature a two-level hold with 32 independent tanks for storing and transporting live crab. Temperature, salinity, and oxygen level control are in place to ensure the live crab catch is kept in optimum condition. Overall tank capacity is 440 cubic metres.
In addition to the seven vivier vessels in the series, Russian Crab has three catcher-processor vessels delivered or in build, designed to process and freeze crab products at sea. The company’s overall commitment to new vessel construction in connection with two rounds of auctions will amount to 19 new vessels joining the crab fleet, operating in both the Far East and in northern waters.
‘This is the seventh vessel built for the company by Russian shipbuilders under the investment quotas programme. Six of Alexandr Sapozhnikov’s sister ships are already fishing in the Far East and Northern basins,’ said Russian Crab CEO Sergey Goryachev.
‘This is an excellent, safe crab catcher with comfortable conditions for the crew. The vessel bears the name of the man who grew the company from a small enterprise into an industry leader, the largest crab fishing company in Russia.’
The new vessel is named after Alexandr Anatolyevich Sapozhnikov (9th July 1952 – 5th May 2024), who headed the Russian Crab Group of Companies until 2024. He joined the company in September 2018 and assumed its leadership in 2020. Under his management, the company became an industry leader, and its fleet grew from six to 37 vessels, including newbuilds.
