OREANDA-NEWS. August 26, 2014. The keel-laying of NIBULON-5 and NIBULON-6 was held on December 05, 2013, on the company’s birthday, having marked the beginning of full shipbuilding at the company’s own shipbuilding and repair yard “NIBULON”.

Our shipbuilding program has started during difficult for our country days, when Ukraine awoke as a new country which was ready to struggle for its future and to be acknowledged by the international community. Then, because of tense situation in our country, we refused to organize any solemnities. But today we think that our example and our persistence in struggling for Ukraine’s future and indestructibility in reviving Ukrainian shipbuilding will inspire our Motherland protectors in the east of Ukraine.

Construction of own fleet at the shipbuilding and repair yard “NIBULON” is a part of the project implementation to revive river navigation. By analogy with the Mississippi River, our company is reviving the DniproRiver as transport artery of Ukraine. Due to the successful implementation of the investment program in 2014 navigation season, the company has already transported and shipped for export more that 1.3 million tons of grain cargoes, thus, reducing the volumes of inner cargo motor transportation and rail transportation (taking into consideration railcars deficiency) by Ukraine’s roads. On completion of this program implementation, the volume of cargo transportation along Ukraine’s waterways will comprise up to 3 million tons of grain crops annually, thus, allowing to relieve more than 250 railcars and to remove more than 600 heavy-load trucks from our roads per day!

Our investment program means employment of 1000 km of the DniproRiver from Kyiv to Kherson, revival of Ukrainian river ports. Due to new logistics system, Ukrainian agricultural producers will be able to obtain additional income at the level of USD 0.5 billion. Domestic agrarians will have an opportunity to become entities of the international market, supplying agricultural commodities to NIBULON directly without agents and additional transport expenses.

The company also plans to revive navigation and passenger traffic along the Southern BugRiver. The depth of this river was 3 m twenty years ago; today – only 1.65 m.

Taking into account the topical problem of inefficiency of Ukraine’s shipbuilding companies, NIBULON had to purchase property complex of Mykolayiv shipbuilding yard. At present at the shipbuilding and repair yard “NIBULON”, where the company’s cargo fleet is being built, there is being conducted reconstruction of the existing facilities. Its goal is to ensure repair, maintenance of NIBULON’s fleet, and also creation of a technological line to build vessels with the displacement of up to 5 thousand tons for further logistics development.

The first shipyard orders are NIBULON-5andNIBULON-6 tugs of POSS-115 project which are built by more than 250 employees accepting for employment from other shipyards of Mykolayiv city. The shipyard operates in two shifts including weekends.

The production program of the shipyard operation for five years was developed and is being implemented at the shipyard successfully. The company plans to build 12 shallow-draught tugs of 12 thousand h.p. (121 project), 12 non-self-propelled vessels with the total deadweight of 48 thousand tons (NBL-91 project) and 35 self-propelled vessels of “Volgo Don Max” class with the total deadweight of 175 thousand tons.

The in-depth reconstruction of the shipbuilding and repair yard “NIBULON”, involving leading shipbuilding companies of Japan, Korea, Norway, Sweden, is planned for 2014-2016.

Tug of POSS-115 project is a vessel designed by Ukrainian design organization “Torola Design Group”, NIBULON’s long partner. This is a modern high-tech tug designed for operation on inland waterways of Ukraine, has mixed navigation class, corresponds to the norms of the European Union environmental legislation. Endurance of the tug comprises up to 30 days without refueling that testifies the vessel’s quality level. The tugs of POSS-115 project as well as other shipbuilding projects of the company will be built from Ukrainian metal and fly Ukraine’s flag.

Tugs of 121 project are modern high-tech vessels designed for operation on inland waterways of Ukraine, have mixed navigation class and correspond to the norms of the European Union environmental legislation. The Ukrainian design organization “Sudokomposit” is a designer of the series of tugs.

The lifting wheelhouse fixing in up position will ensure full visibility when towing. Endurance will be up to 10 days without refueling.

The peculiarity of the tugs of 121 project is the engine room location: on the vessel’s upper deck.  In particular, the main engines with accompanying service systems and shaftings that transmit torque moment to rudder propellers will be placed on the upper deck in the isolated containers.Such a decision was made in connection with the vessel’s small draught. This innovation will allow to considerably reduce construction period.

From fabrication and hull formation to mooring and sea trials: all technological stages of the vessels’ construction will be performed by the company’s shipbuilders with the participation of the contractors both domestic and foreign ones.

While implementing its own shipbuilding program, NIBULON enjoys confidence of first-class western banks and financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank, more than 15 European banks and operates under the financial guarantees of such countries as the USA, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Thus, in August 2014, taking into account difficult time, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has renewed syndicated funding in the amount of USD 130 million for NIBULON. This event gives a powerful positive signal to attract investment in Ukraine’s economy. Besides, at present there is being discussed an opportunity of giving a credit line in the amount of USD 75 million by the International Finance Corporation.

Today NIBULON is the only agrarian company in Ukraine that revives shipbuilding. We believe that Ukraine must become a marine country and not a country by sea! The company itself constructed 37 units of own fleet that sail under Ukraine’s flag. The vessels were built from Ukrainian metal controlled by the Shipping Register of Ukraine.

Despite difficult situation in the country, the company has announced and implements its investment project having created up to 300 workplaces. Putting into operation of NIBULON-5andNIBULON-6tugs of POSS-115 project will enable to additionally transport 500 thousand tons of agricultural commodities along the Dnipro River, thus, allowing to relieve more than 8.3 thousand railcars and to remove more than 12.5 thousand heavy-load trucks from domestic roads. And putting into operation of three tugs of 121 project will allow to transport 200 thousand tons of agricultural commodities along the Southern Bug River, thus, allowing to remove 5 thousand heavy-load trucks from national roads.

NIBULON does not speak but constructs ports. We have already built 8 berthing structures with the total length of 1,984 m. Due to this our company takes leading places in the nation-wide sectoral ratings in berth construction.

We are persistently moving to reach our high aim – strengthening of Ukraine as a marine country by reviving shipbuilding.