VESSEL REVIEW | Beryl – Russian dredge support tender for port and channel waters
Russian shipyard Stroyliderplus recently handed over a new dredging support vessel to local port operator Rosmorport.
Beryl (Берилл) is the first of a planned three Project FPW1 vessels that have been designed to support the operations of Rosmorport's Project FPDG3 non-self-propelled cutter suction dredgers in port and channel waters.
The newbuild has a length of 24.53 metres (80.48 feet), a beam of 9.13 metres (30 feet), a summer draught of only 1.6 metres (5.2 feet), a depth of three metres (9.8 feet), a displacement of 232.54 tons at full load, a gross tonnage of 162, a crew of six, and two main engines that each produce 330 kW (440 hp). The vessel can operate for seven days before requiring a return to port for bunkering and replenishment of stores.
Ice-capable towing and supply platform
Beryl will support dredging operations through pushing and towing of stationary objects such as pontoons. Her onboard knuckle boom crane has a lifting capacity of 2.5 tons and can be used to raise and lower buoys and anchors.
The vessel, which is capable of navigating in ice and polluted waters, may also be used for the transport of personnel and cargo as well as supplying fuel and water to dredgers.
The vessel’s tank capacities are eight cubic metres (1,800 gallons), 35 cubic metres (7,700 gallons), 2.1 cubic metres (460 gallons) and 23 cubic metres (5,100 cubic feet) for fuel, bunker fuel (for supply to other vessels), service water and drinking water, respectively.
Serving vital ports and inland waterways
Design work on Beryl and her Project FPW1 sisters was undertaken by local engineering firm Flotproekt in compliance with Russian Maritime Register of Shipping requirements. Aliot (Алиот), the second vessel in the series, was recently launched while Antares (Антарес), the third vessel, is still under construction.
The Project FPW1 vessels will be operated by Rosmorport on the Volga-Caspian Sea Shipping Canal and in the channels leading to the ports of Astrakhan and Olya.
