The largest fishing vessel to be built in Russia has been launched in Kaliningrad at the Yantar Shipyard, part of shipbuilding conglomerate United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC). Ordered by the Lenin Fishing Collective Farm in the Russian Far East, it is designed to operate in the north-west Pacific as a processing vessel for both its own catches and those taken by smaller catcher vessels.
The hull of the 121-metre, 21.60-metre breadth Viktor Gavrilov was laid down in 2019 and the build hasn’t been an entirely smooth process. Sanctions have led to the withdrawal from the project of a number of key suppliers that had initially been involved in this ambitious construction project.
The current state of the build is that thrusters, propulsion lines and large equipment have been installed. With outfitting at the quayside now in progress, according to USC, delivery is scheduled for February 2026.
Viktor Gavrilov is designed to operate as a pelagic vessel and as a mother ship taking catches for processing. The processing installation is to include surimi production, as well as lines for producing canned and frozen products, as well as fishmeal and fish oil. Its freezing capacity is designed to reach 450 tonnes per day. Accommodation will be for up to 148 persons.
‘USC continues to actively update the civil fleet. In total, USC has delivered 20 fishing vessels to customers in recent years,’ said Kirill Toropov, USC’s deputy general director of civil shipbuilding.
‘Currently, the corporation has 25 vessels at various stages of construction. In order for this event to take place, despite the sanctions pressure and the associated difficulties, the Yantar shipyard has done a great deal of work to redesign the vessel. Now the vessel will be completed afloat.’
