VESSEL REVIEW | Eco-1 & Swan – Compact oil skimmers for Russian coastal and inland waters

Russia's Onega Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Plant has handed over two new oil skimmers in a series ordered by local port operator Rosmorport.

Eco-I (Эко-1) and Swan (Лебедь; Lebed) belongs to the Project NE028 series of oil skimmers designed for operation in port, inland and coastal waters, even in surface ice up to 0.4 metres (1.3 feet) thick.

Design work on the vessels was undertaken by Nordic Engineering in compliance with Russian Maritime Register of Shipping requirements.

Built for safe operation even when exposed to potential combustion sources

The newbuilds each have an LOA of 15.5 metres (50.9 feet), a beam of six metres (20 feet), a draught of only 1.5 metres (4.9 feet), a displacement of 95.7 tonnes, a gross tonnage of 53, and a crew of two. The vessels are also each fitted with spill response equipment such as booms, dispersant sprays nozzles, and a dedicated nine-cubic-metre (2,000-gallon) tank for storing recovered oil.

The vessels’ hulls have meanwhile been built to permit navigation in waters that have been contaminated with spilled oil residue with a flash point of higher than 60 degrees Celsius. This indicates that the vessels can collect spilled oil even in instances where there is a moderate to high risk of combustion.

Also equipped for solid waste cleanup

Two 120kW (160hp) diesel engines will propel each vessel to a service speed of seven knots while a 50kW generator will supply electrical power for the onboard systems. The propulsion will also enable each vessel to operate continuously for up to 12 hours, ensuring comprehensive spill cleanup coverage in restricted port waters.

Rosmorport said that the vessels will also take on secondary duties such as cargo transport and removal of debris following heavy rains, flooding and typhoons. The vessels have therefore also been fitted with conveyors for collecting solid waste from the surface of the water.