FSUE “Rosmorport” has increased the grouping of dredging vessels located at the Volga-Caspian Sea Shipping Canal (VCSSC) to 12 – dredgers Belyana and Kaspiy joined 10 vessels that got off for operation in April. At the moment, dredging works are carried out by 11 vessels, the dredger Kaspiy will begin operation in the near future. In May, the fleet grouping involved in works at the canal is expected to be increased by another 2 vessels amounting to 14 dredgers.

Currently, the grouping of vessels under the management of FSUE “Rosmorport” includes six units of its own dredging fleet – Pyotr Sablin, Artemiy Volynsky, Ivan Cheremisinov, Kronshlot, Severno-Zapadny-503 and Urengoy – and six vessels involved by the enterprise: Arkady Kardakov, Professor Lukin, Moguchyi, Donskoy-701, Belyana and Kaspiy.

In addition to dredgers, 23 vessels of the service and auxiliary fleet are involved in work at the canal, 11 of which are under the economic management of FSUE “Rosmorport” (4 scows, 1 motorboat, 3 tugs and 3 survey motorboats).

Currently, FSUE “Rosmorport” has started implementing a project for the construction of protective structures of the marine part of the сanal from external effects. Such structures will reduce the operating costs for maintenance of the VCSSC by reducing the drift of the canal bed, which will lead to a reduction in the annual volume of repair dredging.

Protective structures are supposed to be built at the limiting sections of the VCSSC, which are prone to drift most of all (106-135 km and 144.5-149 km). At the moment, a contract for the first stage of construction is signed, and preparatory work is underway. The first stage is scheduled to be completed in autumn 2023.

Work at the strategically important facility is carried out around the clock under favorable weather conditions. In order to fulfill the task set by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on ensuring the passage of vessels with a draft of at least 4.5 m along the VCSSC by the end of 2023, FSUE “Rosmorport” provides the fleet involved in the development of the VCSSC with all the necessary related materials and equipment for its smooth operation.

For reference:

The protective structure is a protective dam made of geofabric containers filled with soil extracted during repair dredging. After the construction of the dam, a slope is washed along the protective structure, after which the territory is washed with bottom soil for the outer side of the dam.