Russian inland waterways agency places new buoy tenders into service

Rechvodput, the main inland waterway transport agency of the Russian Government, has commenced operational sailings of two new buoy tenders built by local shipyard Kingisepp Machine-Building Plant.

Styerkh and Cibis belong to the Project 3050.1A series of buoy tenders designed by the Gorky Central Design Bureau.

The vessels will be used primarily for maintenance of buoys and other aids to navigation in inland waterways, whereas their secondary duties will include monitoring of water depths and handling of non-self-propelled barges of 400 tonnes displacement or lower via towing or pushing.

The new Rechvodput buoy tenders each have a length of 26.8 metres, a beam of 4.2 metres, a draught of only one metre, a 220kW engine, and a crew of six. The vessels will be able to operate for up to six days before returning to port.

The buoy tenders will be operated by the Rechvodput branch office responsible for maintaining the Amur River near the Russia-China border. They are the third and fourth Project 3050.1A vessels to be built after Kazarka and Krechet.