MURMANSK. April 13 (Interfax) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has demanded to boost the pace and quality of the reconstruction and technical upgrade of a dry dock of the Murmansk affiliate of the 35th Ship Repair Plant, which is conducted by the Zvyozdochka ship repair center.
Clear schedule of boosting effort for the project's implementation is needed as new areas of work open up, Shoigu said.
It is necessary to increase the number of people and equipment working on the site, he said.
Shoigu was told that about 400 people and several dozen pieces of equipment are involved in the reconstruction.
This amount of people and equipment is not enough to ensure the due pace of implementing this large-scale project, which should be 24/7, Shoigu said, adding that this is necessary when deadlines are disrupted.
Shoigu rejected explanations of the United Shipbuilding Corporation management that the first contractor did not work well and was replaced. "I do not take these explanations. The dock is needed. The Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier needs repairs," Shoigu said.
The project implemented by Zvyozdochka, which is a part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, is aimed at transforming the current two-chamber dock into a one-chamber dock, which would increase its area and the depth of dock facilities. The dock's reconstruction will allow to expand the potential of the 35th Ship Repair Plant in terms of dock works.
After the reconstruction is completed, the dock will be the largest one in Russia's Arctic zone. It will be capable of docking big ships, such as nuclear-powered icebreakers, battlecruisers, and aircraft carriers.
The reconstruction of the dry dock is a key factor of timely completion of upgrades of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier.