VESSEL REVIEW | Aleksandr Deyev – Rail ferry to operate between Russia’s Sakhalin Islands

Amur Shipyard, a division of Russia’s state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation, has delivered a new ferry that will transport passengers as well as wheel and rail cargo between the Russian Far East mainland and the Sakhalin Islands.

Named after a former director of Amur Shipyard, Aleksandr Deyev belongs to the Project CNF11CPD series designed by Marine Engineering Bureau and Vympel Design Bureau. The hull is built to Arc5 high ice class notation, ensuring the ability to operate year-round on Sakhalin routes.

The vessel has an LOA of 131 metres, a beam of 19.92 metres, a draught of 6.6 metres, a deadweight of 4,829, and capacity for 200 passengers, 32 rail cars, and 20 wheeled vehicles. Passenger accommodations include double cabins, quadruple cabins, and a saloon with seating for up to 88 people. There are separate lifts for freight and for passengers while loading and unloading will be via gangways and stern and side ramps.

Recently completed sea trials showed the new ferry can reach speeds of up to 18.2 knots in the open sea while icebreaking speeds are eight knots in 0.8-metre-thick ice and three knots in one-metre-thick ice. Powerful side thrusters meanwhile ensure the vessel is highly manoeuvrable even with its large size.

The vessel also boasts a high degree of onboard automation with the status of all navigation and monitoring systems being displayed on a central control panel.

A marine evacuation system ensures safe emergency evacuation of all occupants under a broad range of weather conditions.

Aleksandr Deyev will be operated by State Transport Leasing Company. Sister vessel Vasiliy Oshchepkov is still under construction and is scheduled to enter service on the Sakhalin Islands route in 2024.

Some of our readers have expressed disquiet at our publication of reviews and articles describing new vessels from Russia. We at Baird Maritime can understand and sympathise with those views. However, despite the behaviour of the country’s leaders, we believe that the maritime world needs to learn of the latest developments in vessel design and construction there.

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