Mistral-class helicopter carrier's stern floated in St. Petersburg
ST. PETERSBURG. April 30 (Interfax) - Baltiysky Zavod (BZS, part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation) on Wednesday floated the stern of a Mistral-class landing helicopter dock (LHD) that will be named Sevastopol, an Interfax correspondent said.
The BZS has fitted mounts for stern thrusters, bow and side ramps, helicopter elevators, an ammunition elevator, and hangar doors. The stern is fitted with all hatches and doors, cable trays and mounts for electronic equipment as per the project. All vessel system pipes have also been installed.
The stern of the Sevastopol LHD is due to be towed for completion to France on June 16. The towage should not last for more than three weeks. Upon arrival to Saint Nazaire the stern will be docked to the bow at the French shipyard STX France.
"There is no doubt that on June 16 the completion document will be signed and the stern will go to France," BZS General Director Alexei Kadilov said at the floating ceremony.
The situation in Ukraine has not affected work under the contract, he said. "There is no politics here, each side is honoring contractual terms. There are no problems here," Kadilov said.
For his part, STX France's Operations Director Jean-Yves Jaouen said that the political situation will not affect the construction of the ships and all work is carried out strictly on schedule.
The stern of the Sevastopol ship is equipped more intensely than that of the first LHD, Vladivostok, he said. "We are very pleased with the quality of the work," Jaouen said.
The stern and bow of the ship are due to be docked in the French shipyard in July, he said. "This (docking) operation takes three weeks," he said.
The Sevastopol vessel is expected to enter service in the Russian Navy in the fall of 2015.