Krasnaya Kuznitsa, a company under Russia's state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation, has begun conducting sea trials of one of two new ferries in a series for operation between the cities of Arkhangelsk and Onega.
The construction contract for Onega (pictured) and sister vessel Solvychegodsk was awarded in December 2021. Co-financing is provided by the Russian Government through the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
Onega's initial trials were undertaken in the Northern Dvina River under the supervision of the Russian Classification Society. The tests also included navigating through broken thin surface ice.
Once in service, the 28.4-metre, ice-capable ferries will transport passengers on routes between Arkhangelsk and Onega that are currently served by re-purposed tugs. Hovercraft were also considered as possible replacement vessels, but a decision was made to use traditional displacement vessels instead.
The vessels' ice-reinforced hulls and their propulsion systems have been deemed suitable for operation in the seaports of Arkhangelsk and Onega even during periods of ice drift.
Onega and Solvychegodsk are scheduled for delivery in the spring of 2025.