VESSEL REVIEW | Inzener Zinger – Ice-capable pusher tugs for operation in northern and central Russia

Russia’s State Transport Leasing Company (STLC) recently welcomed four new inland pusher tugs to its fleet.

Inzener Zinger (Инженер Зингер; “Engineer Zinger”), Motorist Kazakovtsev (Моторист Казаковцев), Filipp Irapskiy (Филипп Ирапский), and Vasily Vereshchagin (Василий Верещагин) were built by Cherepovets Shipbuilding Plant (CSP) in Nizhny Novgorod in fulfilment of an order by STLC.

The newbuilds belong to the Project TSK.395 series of tugs designed by local naval architecture company Rechflot State Central Design Bureau to comply with the Ice 30 hull strengthening notation of the Russian Classification Society.

This notation ensures that the tugs' hulls are durable enough to enable navigation even in fine broken surface ice of up to 30 centimetres (12 inches) in thickness – a seasonal occurrence, particularly in Russia’s northern and central river systems.

Compact design coupled with enhanced visibility

CSP was selected as the main contractor in the tug construction, though numerous companies under the Rechflot Group were also involved in the design and construction.

R-Flot Design provided conceptual design work and also built the vessel's cabin and the superstructure while R-Flot Shipbuilding Complex was responsible for the hull-related works including assembly and welding.

The new tugs each have all-steel construction, an LOA of 22.3 metres (73.2 feet), a beam of 7.4 metres (24 feet), a draught of only 1.5 metres (4.9 feet), a depth of 2.84 metres (9.32 feet), a displacement of 100 tonnes, and accommodation for eight crewmembers. The vessels’ dimensions will enable them to easily manoeuvre in restrictive inland waterways.

The tugs are notable for their elevated wheelhouses. These will provide their crews with unobstructed all-round visibility even when assisting other vessels through waterways.

Fitted out for continuous river sailing

Two Yaroslavl Motor Plant 480kW (640hp) diesel engines will deliver a service speed of just over nine knots and a maximum endurance of 108 hours, allowing each tug to sail on near-uninterrupted, point-to-point voyages when pushing or towing barges even under mild winter conditions.

The Project TSK.395 tugs will be used to tow floating objects and to assist non-self-propelled barges laden with goods such as grain, ensuring the distribution of commodities to customers even during periods of inclement weather.