OREANDA-NEWS. April 23, 2012. Okskaya Shipyard plans to send on April 24 M/V Kapitan Shumilov and M/V Kapitan Kanatov to Chekalovsk (Nizhny Novgorod region). The ninth and tenth dry cargo ships of a series of 10 self-propelled river vessels of RSD-44 Project will undergo sea trials, the shipbuilding company said.

Upon completion of successful testing the two vessels will be delivered to the Customer, Volga Shipping Company.

The Volgamax dry cargo ships of Project RSD44 were designed by Marine Engineering Bureau. The vessels are intended for transportation on Russia’s inland waterways general, bulk, timber cargo, grain, lumber, potash and fertilizer, sulfur, coal, paper, building materials, steel products, and up to 140 containers.
 
The RSD44 project ships will gradually replace the previous series of "Volga-Don” ships. The vessels surpass their predecessors, featuring enhanced capacity, maneuverability, environmental friendliness, efficiency and comfort, the report said.

Ship’s main features: length DWL - 138.9 m, beam - 16,5 m, depth - 5 m, coaming height - 2,2 m, fresh water draft 3,6 m DWT - 5,543 tons, salt water draft 3.53 m DWT - 5,562 tons, cargo hold capacity - 7090 cbm; Russian River Register Class - + O-OL 2,0 (ice 20) A.

The lead ship of RSD44 project Kapitan Ruzmankin was laid on Feb. 24, 2010, launched on Nov. 23, 2010 and delivered to the Customer on May 2011. Later, Volga Shipping took delivery of the next five bulkers and has put them into service (the Kapitan Zagryadtsev, the Kapitan Krasnov, the Kapitan Gudovich, the Kapitan Sergeyev and the Kapitan Kadomtsev). On November 18th, the shipbuilder delivered the eighth serial vessel, the Kapitan Yurov.

The dry cargo ships will be operated on the Volga-Don Ship Canal (VDSK), Volga-Baltic Canal, in the Azov Sea to the port of Kavkaz and in the Gulf of Finland. The vessels will be able to pass under the Neva bridges near St. Petersburg and under Rostov railway bridge (Rostov-on-Don).

The RSD-44 project is co-financed through the leasing scheme by the state-run United Shipbuilding Corporation (85%) and Volga Shipping (15%) on the terms of state subsidy of refinancing interest rate of Central Bank of Russia.

Okskaya (Oka) Shipyard based in Navashino of Nizhny Novgorod region was founded in 1907. The modern Okskaya Shipyard JSC was established through privatization of the state enterprise Navashino Shipyard “Oka”. The firm specializes in building multipurpose river and sea-going vessels. In 2004, Okskaya Shipyard became part of VBTH, majority owned by Universal Cargo Logistics Holding.

JSC Volga Shipping Company, founded in 1843, is one of the oldest and largest shipping companies in Russia. VSC specializes in transportation of cargo and passengers on inland waterways of the country. Volga Shipping Company is also part of the Universal Cargo Logistics Holding that consolidates a number of Russian stevedoring, shipping and shipbuilding assets.