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Fleet renovation and modernization

Sestroretsk towboat was completed in Pella, Leningrad shipyard in autumn, 2005. Euro 3-million vessel enlarged the company's fleet. Sestroretsk towboat became the sixth and the last one in the range of vessels that had been built since 2001. The tree boats of a new range were named in the honour of historical suburbs of Saint-Petersburg: Peterhof, Pavlovsk, Sestroretsk. Leonid Bochkov, Evgenii Kocheshkov and Neptune had been built in Pella before that.

All the vessels are built under a modern design that has taken into consideration up-to-date technical and technological achievements of the world towboats construction. The last two vessels of the range – Pavlovsk and Sestroretsk – differ a bit from the four boats previously built by Pella: They are of PZV class, which means they can perform fire-fighting functions. Use of the towboats of this range allowed reducing the time of port operations by 30%.

As for Leonid Bochkov towboat that joined the fleet of the Company in 2003, it is one of the heaviest and most movable vessels in the port of Saint-Petersburg. Its power amounts to 3.5 thousand HP. The towboat is the European class vessel with azimuth way of movement. Unlike traditional structures (consisting of a propeller screw and steers), Leonid Bochkov is equipped with full-revolving steerable propellers, which enable the vessel rotate round its axis with no need of great areas for the turn. It is especially relevant for small water areas. Towboat displacement amounts to 400 tons. Draw on the hook amounts to 35 tons. Leonid Bochkov is designed to haul the vessels of over 100 thousand tons deadweight.

It is also necessary to mention that in 2006 towboats Evgenii Kocheshkov, Neptune, Leonid Bochkov, Peterhof, Pavlovsk and Sestroretsk started to use their own towing ropes with ultimate tension of 130 tons (over 3 times exceeding maximum towboat thrust force). All the vessels were equipped with a bow towing windlasses remotely controlled from a deck-bridge. The new technology gave the crews of the tow and towed boats an opportunity to moor and unmoor especially from the vessel bow reducing the time of operation.

In 1997 the company introduced two heavy vessels into the sea towing market: Mercury and Uranus, having invested about RUR4.5 million into upgrading of their equipment. Mercury and Uranus towboats can change the power of their engines from 1.2 thousand HP to 2.5 thousand HP.

It allows effectively spend the vessel fuel when moving in the open sea and maneuvering in the water areas of the ports. Uranus is equipped with a stern towing windlass. It allows regulate the length of the towing rope which influences the quality and safety of the operation carried out. There is an after capstan installed in Mercury for the same purpose.

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