VESSEL REVIEW | Vikenty Zaitsev – New Russian inland fisheries research vessel to be operated in Siberia

The Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO) has taken delivery of a new multi-disciplinary research vessel.

Vikenty Zaitsev (Викентий Зайцев) was built by Belgorod Shipyard as a Project TSK.550 research vessel. Her main area of operations is Lake Baikal in Siberia, one of the deepest lakes in the world and home to more than 1,200 species of which approximately 800 are endemic.

The vessel’s main roles therefore also include assessment of whitefish stocks – particularly those of omul (C. migratorius) – in Lake Baikal.

Equipped for fish stock monitoring and sampling

The vessel is named after the late Russian fisheries scientist Vikenty Petrovich Zaitsev, who headed the Soviet-era VNIRO from 1956 to 1962. She has a length of 36.3 metres (119 feet), a beam of 7.3 metres (24 feet), a displacement of approximately 314.6 tons, and accommodation for four crewmembers and up to seven scientists.

The vessel’s electronics include an echosounder (for hydroacoustic surveys) and a fish finding sonar while trawls will enable catching and subsequent study of marine life. The electronics are configured for constant monitoring of Lake Baikal, allowing as much scientific data as possible to be collected within a given period.

Laboratory and accommodation spaces laid out for extended deployments

An array of laboratories is available for collected samples to be analysed within minutes, thus eliminating the need for the vessel to sail to the nearest port with dedicated facilities.

The other onboard facilities include a mess and cabins for the crew and any embarked scientists.

Construction of Vikenty Zaitsev was undertaken in compliance with Russian Maritime Register of Shipping requirements.