OREANDA-NEWS. July 26, 2012. OJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel (hereinafter, MMC Norilsk Nickel or the Company) reports on signing delivery and acceptance certificate in the city of Bor located in Nizhny Novgorod region for river tug boat built by Nizhny Novgorod Motor Ship Plant for the Company, reported the press-centre of Norilsk Nickel.   

This is the second tug boat, built at the plant for MMC Norilsk Nickel. Construction of the river tug boat was completed as part of the investment program of the Polar Transportation Division of the Company aimed at modernization of the port fleet. The program envisages the construction of two river and two sea tugs as well as a refueller.

Major river tug boat dimensions: length is 21.35 m, width is 6.61 m, depth is 2.4 m, draft is 1.8 m. The total horsepower of marine engines is 300.

The cost of the tug boat is RUB 164 mln.

In terms of tug fleet construction, the program is currently in its final stages, the first sea tug boat was built in 2008, the first river tug boat was completed in 2009 (http://www.nornik.ru/press/news/2417/).  Acceptance of the second sea tug is scheduled for this week. Sea tug boats were built by Leningrad Shipyard Pella.

Construction of the refueller is to be completed in the third quarter of 2013 (http://www.nornik.ru/press/news/3150/).

Construction of a river tug boat is a part of MMC Norilsk Nickel’s strategy aimed at enhancing the Company’s transportation independence and efficiency of its operations by building its own modern fleet.

Since 2006, MMC Norilsk Nickel has accepted for operation five ice-class container vessels, which make up the body of the Company’s sea fleet. Sea fleet ensures year-round guaranteed cargo delivery to Norilsk Industrial Area and export of commercial products to domestic and foreign markets. Annual freight turnover ensured by the Company's sea fleet along the Northern Sea Route totals 1 mln. t, including 0.45 mln. t of commodity metals and 0.55 mln. t of cargos for Norilsk Industrial District.

Since November 2011 the Company’s ice-class tanker has been successfully operated.