VESSEL REVIEW | Viktor Astafyev – Ice-capable Ro-Pax ferry for operation on Russia's Yenisei River

Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation, through its Sredne-Nevsky Shipbuilding Plant (SNSZ), has completed construction of the Project A45-90.2 passenger ship Viktor Astafyev (Виктор Астафьев).

Built for local operator State Transport Leasing Company (GTLK), the vessel is intended for the Krasnoyarsk–Dudinka route on Russia’s Yenisei River, combining scheduled passenger transport with cruise accommodation.

Designed by Agat Design Bureau, the 245-passenger ferry is the lead vessel in a two-ship series being constructed with state support. SNSZ received the original order in April 2020.

Sister vessel Andrey Dubensky is intended for the same service.

Built for challenging inland navigation conditions

The latest trial particulars give Viktor Astafyev an LOA of 99 metres (320 feet) and an overall beam of 14.9 metres (48.9 feet). The side depth is 4.2 metres (14 feet) while the maximum draught is only two metres (6.6 feet). The air draught with the mast lowered is no more than 14.2 metres (46.6 feet).

The vessel’s route includes rocky shoals and strong currents, together with sections where navigation is restricted to one-way traffic. The design combined these river requirements with mixed river-sea operation in the Arctic zone.

The monohull vessel has an aft machinery space and the wheelhouse is positioned forward on the second deck of the superstructure. The yard’s recent accommodation description placed passenger cabins across three decks, with a separate promenade deck.

Published endurance is 15 days while accommodation is also available for 41 crewmembers.

The specified speed is 12.4 knots, and the project is intended for routes extending to 5,000 kilometres (3,100 miles). GTLK said the vessels could cover that distance without bunkering, thus enabling them to support long-distance voyages between remote settlements.

Propulsion with partial redundancy for reduced service disruptions

The Russian Classification Society notation is M-PR 3.0 (ice 20). SNSZ said the ice capability supports operation towards the end of the navigation season, including periods when small broken ice forms near Dudinka. The stated independent operating condition covers small broken ice and slush up to 20 centimetres (7.9 inches) thick.

A 2025 machinery description listed three main diesel-reduction units using Mitsubishi S6R2-T2MPTK engines each rated 480 kW (640 hp) at 1,350 rpm. The published auxiliary arrangement comprises three diesel generators and an emergency generator.

The diesel plant drives three propeller shafts. SNSZ said this arrangement is intended to retain propulsion and manoeuvrability even after a partial equipment failure.

The ferry will undergo additional trials on Lake Ladoga for several weeks before the hand-over to GTLK. The announced programme covers the main propulsion plant, general ship systems, navigation equipment, auxiliary craft and deck equipment.

The programme also includes measurements of hull vibration and propeller shaft operating parameters. Separate measurements addressed torsional vibration affecting machinery operation and service life.

Full range of passenger amenities

The design includes a bow gangway/ramp for passenger access. Where suitable landing infrastructure is unavailable, passengers can be transferred using a 12-person fast boat carried aboard and launched and recovered via a stern slipway.

Cabin categories extend from first-class and luxury accommodation to convertible two- to four-berth cabins and four-berth cabins. A specially equipped two-berth cabin is provided for passengers with reduced mobility, while a passenger lift connects the accommodation levels.

A June 2026 report gave standard two- to four-berth cabin areas of 14 to 20 square metres (150 to 220 square feet) in area with ceiling heights of 2.2 metres (7.2 feet). These cabins have air-conditioning, individual sanitary facilities, and televisions.

Suites and junior suites are described as occupying 24 to 30 square metres (260 to 320 square feet), with additional audio-visual equipment and shower cabins.

Public spaces include a restaurant and bars alongside a fitness centre with two saunas. A medical cabin and luggage storage support the vessel’s transport role, while a business office provides an additional passenger facility.

Viktor Astafyev and Andrey Dubensky are intended to replace Valery Chkalov and Alexander Matrosov, which were built in Germany in 1953 and 1954, respectively. Tour operator Port-Baikal listed both older ships at about 96 metres (320 feet) long and 14 metres (46 feet) in beam; each draws 2.4 metres (7.9 feet) and can carry 260 passengers.

The newbuild therefore occupies a similar size range while having a lower published maximum draught. Nominal passenger capacity is 245, compared with the older ships’ listed 260. Its accommodation includes an accessible cabin and passenger lift, alongside the broader range of public facilities.

The lead hull was laid down on July 31, 2020 under the name Andrey Dubensky. The second hull, number 717, followed on July 30, 2021 as Viktor Astafyev. The names were exchanged in June 2024 in connection with the centenary of writer Viktor Astafyev’s birth, and the renamed lead ship was launched on June 5, 2024.

Delivery schedules have moved since the original order. As of June 2026, Andrey Dubensky remained in the slipway construction phase, with equipment installation and preparation of spaces continuing.

In July, SNSZ said that it planned to hand Viktor Astafyev over to the customer by the end of 2026, following trials and further preparation for delivery.

The ship’s beam prevents passage through the White Sea–Baltic Canal locks. The delivery voyage is therefore expected to pass around Scandinavia after departure through the Baltic. It would then follow the Northern Sea Route to the Yenisei.