Chinese shipyard finalizing work on trawler for Russian fishing co-op Sever
ARKHANGELSK. May 16 (Interfax) - The mid-sized factory trawler Kuloi, built for Russia's Sever fishing co-operative at the Liao Yu Group shipyard in China at a cost of about 600 million rubles, is being prepared for delivery, the press service of the Arkhangelsk regional government reported.
A regional delegation led by Governor Alexander Tsybulsky visited the Dalian fishing port in China, where the trawler is located, on Wednesday.
"The project SRTM-4470 vessel is intended for harvesting various species of fish in the Northern fishing basin. The trawler is outfitted with high-tech equipment that will support harvesting, processing and production of goods directly onboard," the press release said.
The trawler, which was built according to an individual design, is 46.6 meters long and 10.6 meters wide and has a cargo hold with capacity of 452 cubic meters. The 2,000-hp (1,470 kWt) vessel can travel at up to 11 knots and is expected to have a crew of 24 people.
The Kuloi was ordered by Sever and is being built under the control of the Russian Maritime Register.
A ceremony for the raising of the Russian flag was held at the shipyard's production facility on March 26. The vessel has now been put in the water and its propulsion units and main engine have been installed. The signing of the acceptance and transfer certificate for the trawler is being planned.
Tsybulsky said Arkhangelsk Region fishing organizations cooperate with China in various areas.
"The fishing industry of Arkhangelsk Region is now a developing sector of the economy. The ocean fishing catch totaled 85,000 tonnes last year. Commercial fishing in marine waters is done using 20 of our own fishing vessels, three of which are new large-capacity trawlers built by the Arkhangelsk Trawler Fleet under investment quotas," the governor was quoted as saying in the press release.
He said the industry is successfully managing sanctions and an increasing amount of exports go to China.
He also said that the Russian government has adopted a comprehensive plan to develop the Arkhangelsk transport hub to 2035 that involves developing existing infrastructure and building a deep-water port. In light of this, the region wants to invite Chinese companies that ship cargo to use Arkhangelsk port terminals for transshipment.
A direct voyage from Arkhangelsk to Shanghai through the Northern Sea Route was carried out in 2023 for the first time in ten years. The regional government said the vessel, which carried more than 300 containers of lumber, took 23 days to make the journey, compared to 30-32 days for shipments from St. Petersburg. There are plans to increase the number of voyages to 10-12 ship calls in the 2024 summer and fall navigation season.