Keels laid for two new dry cargo ships for Russia's State Transport Leasing Company

Russia's V.I. Lenin Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Yard laid the keels of two new dry cargo vessels at its Astrakhan facilities on Thursday, May 15.

The ships belong to a series ordered from the yard by local operator State Transport Leasing Company (STLC).

The Project RSD81 ships were designed in compliance with Russian Maritime Register of Shipping rules. They will be capable of operating in the open sea as well as Russian inland waters such as the Volga-Baltic Waterway and the Volga-Don Canal.

Six Project RSD81 ships are being built for STLC. All are scheduled to be delivered by 2026.

The Project RSD81 vessels will be capable of transporting general and bulk cargo as well as 20-foot and 40-foot ISO containers. Typical cargo examples will include grain, sawn timber, packaged lumber, scrap metal, steel coils, coal, IMDG Code-compliant dangerous goods in eight categories, and up to 385 TEUs.

Construction of STLC's Project RSD81 vessels is being undertaken with RUB4.8 billion (US$52 million) in funding support provided by the Russian Government.