OTRADNOYE, Leningrad Region. Sept 17 (Interfax-AVN) - The Leonid Bochkov tugboat was officially launched on Wednesday at the Pella Shipyard, situated 40 km upstream the Neva River from St. Petersburg.
"The Leonid Bochkov is the second tugboat, boasting the azimuth mode. The first such tugboat, namely the Saturn, was built at the same plant two years ago," the Pella press-service told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
A press-service official said that the tugboat did not have a helm as such - it was steered by two rudder propellers, which provided the tugboat with a greater maneuverability, required of such vessels: the tugboat is capable of turning around, remaining almost in the same place.
Just like the Saturn, the Leonid Bochkov features a displacement of 400 tonnes, however, it has a greater output of 3,500hp as compared to 2,700hp of its predecessor. This fact will enable the tug to tow vessels with a displacement of over 100,000 tons. The new tugboat costs about USD3.5m. According to estimates, the cost will be compensated in four years, the press- service said.
The source said that Pella was capable of manufacturing four tugs like that a year. Such tugboats are in demand with both existing seaports, and the new ones such as Primorsk, and Ust- Luga. The military may also lease powerful tugs when necessary.
The Leonid Bochkov will be delivered to the St. Petersburg- based Portovy Flot Company. The delivery is slated for next October.
Pella-Fiord, a subsidiary of the Pella shipyard, works on defense contracts. For instance, at the present time it is building a free-fall inflatable raft, the work on which started in autumn 2001. Project 01612 was developed by the Spetssudoproekt Design Bureau. The raft, boasting a displacement of 4.5 tonnes, is designed to accommodate 18 people.
The enterprise, specializing in fiberglass products, embarked on manufacturing new products, after it had successfully fulfilled two big-ticket defense orders, which consisted in delivering fiberglass nozzles for the air injection systems, mounted on the Zubr LCAC (landing craft, air cushion), sold to Greece (the Almaz Shipbuilding Company), and fairings for the Indian Lada submarine (the Admiralteyskiye Verfi Enterprise).