ODESA, OCTOBER 10th, 2011, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE — Volga Shipping, Russia, has taken into exploitation the sixth dry-cargo vessel (project RSD44) designed by Marine Engineering Bureau, Odesa, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

The MEB’s press service informed today, 10 October.

According to the press service, today 10 October, Volga Shipping has taken into exploitation the sixth dry-cargo Volga Max vessel Captain Kadomtsev (project RSD44), DWT in the river — 5 thousand 540 tons.

Plant builder — Oka shipyard.

The previously delivered series of M/V Captain Ruzmankin, M/V Captain Zagryadtsev, M/V Captain Krasnov, M/V Captain Gudovich and M/V Captain Sergeev are exploited by Volga Shipping for transportation of bulk cargoes.

The series of vessels of project RSD44 set a record not only for the rapidity of construction, but also the vessels’ deadweight in the river at 3.60 m draught (5 thousand 540 tons) and speed tests (mean velocity of the flow and against flow at the sea trials of the leading ship was more than 12 knots).

In total the new series, designed to replace the foundation of today’s river dry-cargo fleet composed of the Volga-Dons and Volgas, is planned to include the first phase of 10 vessels.

The new dry cargo RSD44 Volga Max ships have been designed to carry general, bulk, timber and bulk cargoes, grain, lumber, potash and fertilizer, sulphur, coal, paper, building materials, steel products, as well as up to 140 containers on the inland waterways of the Russian Federation. The deadweight of the vessel at a draught of 3.60 m in the river is about 5 thousand 543 tons at a draught of 3.53 meters in the sea — 5 thousand 562 tons. The volume of the cargo holds — 7 thousand 90 cubic metres.

INFORMATION: OJSC Marine Engineering Bureau was registered on March, 23rd, 1995 in Odesa, Ukraine. It was founded by a group of scientists of the Shipbuilding Department, Odesa National Maritime University. OJSC Marine Engineering Bureau works out pre-contract classification projects, projects of “conversion”, upgrade and renewal of sea vessels for internal and mixed journeys. They also prepare projects for increasing carrying and container capacities of ships and other related work.