OREANDA-NEWS. Since 2009 NIBULON has constantly and purposefully been implementing its own program to revive navigation along domestic waterways. For the last five years the company has created a logistic network having built its own fleet, modern elevator complexes and transshipment terminals.
 
The next logical stage in development of NIBULON’s own investment project was construction of St. Nicholas floating crane, the most productive one in Ukraine.
 
On July 26, 2013, in Constanta city (Romania) there will be held festivities on the occasion of construction completion and delivery of the floating crane to NIBULON.
 
Water transport is one of the key elements of Ukrainian economy that ensures operation of national economic mechanism. Cargo carriage by environmentally friendly cargo fleet and revival of waterways are an integral part of domestic economy development and a component of Ukraine’s positive image as a European country. NIBULON implements the strategy of Ukrainian fleet development by building its own fleet.
 
Within the scope of the project implementation, on considering and analyzing commercial offers from Ukrainian and foreign shipyards, on July 2, 2012, NIBULON group signed a contract for construction of the floating crane of POSS-901 project at SNC Shipyard (Constanta, Romania) which management sent the most competitive offer.
 
The design was developed by Mykolayiv design bureau “Torola Design Group”. This bureau is an old and reliable partner of our company that has already developed designs of non-self-propelled vessels and tugs according to NIBULON’s preliminary specifications. NIBULON’s management and experts actively participated in the design development and visited Romanian shipyard repeatedly.
 
Construction was started in September 2012 and carried out under supervision of the Shipping Register of Ukraine. To build the vessel there were cut 838 tons of A-Class steel.
 
On December 6, 2012, there was held a keel-laying of the floating crane. The latter serves as the main structural member and backbone of a ship ensuring bottom strength, stiffness and hull strength.
 
A symbolic plate testifying commencement of the vessel’s construction was fastened to the future hull by NIBULON’s General Director Oleksiy Vadaturskyy and SNC Managing Director Radu Rusen.
 
A keel-laying was held on St. Nicholas Day according to the Gregorian calendar followed by the Romanian Orthodox Church. Thus, the vessel was called St. Nicholas.
 
In April 2013 there was held the vessel’s launching for further outfitting afloat. After launching the floating crane was equipped, namely assembly of cable and pipe fittings, equipping of galley and spaces, installation work, mounting of electric equipment and navigation devices, engines and auxiliaries.
 
Totally, the vessel’s construction was performed according to the following stages: metal cutting - manufacture of pipes and hull systems – subassembly and fabrication – hull formation – testing of spaces - deck equipment assembly – assembly of insulation and metal plating – equipping of superstructure and living spaces – deck painting - installation of electric and navigation equipment – mooring trials – sea trials – vessel’s delivery to a customer.
 
The floating crane is equipped with 4 Volvo Penta diesel-generators of 420 kW each (Sweden), Marine Interior welding outfit (the USA), Schottel rudder propellers (Germany), conditioning and ventilation systems produced by Heinen & Hopman Engineering (Holland), and other electric and navigation equipment. The crane itself was delivered byLiebherr (Austria).
 
Deck equipment consists of a lift crane, anchor winches and capstans. The vessel is equipped with a number of hull systems, namely hydraulics of rudder-propeller complex; oil, fuel, and compressed air systems; fresh domestic and service water systems; ballast and bilge system; sewage, gas discharge, СО2, ventilation and central heating systems; sea water and fresh water cooling systems; fire-fighting and conditioning systems.
 
According to the specialists, the vessel is the most productive transshipment floating crane in Ukraine. The floating crane is designed for carrying out loading/unloading operations in grab mode with lifting capacity of up to 45 tons and in hook mode – up to 60 tons on inland waterways, in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea costal area of up to 20 miles – all year round.
 
Technical characteristics ensure loading/unloading operations with wave height of up to 1.5 m and wind force of up to 20 m/s.
 
Main technical characteristics: overall length – 52.3 m; breadth – 22 m; draught (lightship) – 2 m; displacement at 2 m draught – about 2000 tons; speed – about 4 knots.
 
Daily crane capacity comprises up to 20 thousand tons which is equivalent to the company’s export terminal capacity in Mykolayiv city. Consequently, the modern crane can substitute up to 10 standard vessels operating on Ukraine’s market. The crane is efficient enough to load Panamax vessels, one of the world’s largest vessels for cargo transportation.
 
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At present NIBULON’s own fleet numbers 28 non-self-propelled vessels with total deadweight of 131.08 thousand tons; 4 constructed tugs of POSS-115 project and 3 purchased ones (with total capacity of 11 280 kW); a modern Watermaster Classic IV dredger made in Finland; St. Nicholas floating crane. Fleet construction is in process, the quantity of its units will increase with the lapse of time. At its own shipyard NIBULON plans to construct 12 non-self-propelled vessels with total deadweight of 48 thousand tons (NBL-91 project), 12 shallow draught pusher tugs with total deadweight of 360 tons and total capacity of 12 thousand h.p. (POSS-120 project), 35 self-propelled vessels of “Volgo-Don max” type with total deadweight of 175 thousand tons.   
 
In order to implement this project, in August 2012 the company purchased capital assets and property complex of Mykolayiv shipyard “Lyman” that was named “Shipbuilding and repair yard NIBULON”.
 
Presence of own self-propelled vessels will allow to develop the Dnipro, the Volga, the Don Rivers, the Caspian Sea, and also shipping operations along the Black Sea. This will allow, for example, to perform trading relations by sea with Kazakhstan, Iran, and other countries.
 
NIBULON’s program also includes revival of passenger transportation by native rivers by constructing passenger vessels.
 
Thus, the company, one of the leaders of the domestic agricultural sector, confirms its creed and leadership in tonnage increase and fleet renewal.