Harbor tug RB-42 built by Pella Shipyard (St. Petersburg) will join Baltic Fleet (BF) Auxiliary Ship Division on May 2, the yard’s press service told Central Navy Portal.
The ensign-hoisting ceremony will take place at BF main naval base Baltiysk.
Project 90600 azimuth tugboat RB-42 (serial number 931) is the twelfth tug of this type built for Russian Navy. Tugs of this project are built by JSC Pella Shipyard since 2002 for civil customers, and since 2008 – for Russian Navy’s auxiliary fleet.
Project 90600 tugs operated by auxiliary flotillas of Northern, Black sea, and Baltic fleets have proved themselves as multi-functional fully answering their purpose.
These tugs gradually replace overaged Soviet-built harbor craft. Russian Navy intends to continue renew auxiliary fleet with tugboats built by Pella Shipyard. In 2011, Russian defense ministry signed a contract for seven Project 90600 tugs.
The next tug of this type (serial number 932) will be put afloat late in May 2012.
Main purpose of Project 90600 tugs is towage and mooring operations in ports and littoral zones, bringing vessels afloat, fire extinguishing of floating assets and coastal structures, oil spill response, cargo transportation, washing out ice cover in basing sites, etc.
General characteristics of Project 90600 tug:
displacement – 415 tons
length overall – 25.4 meters
beam overall – 8.8 meters
maximum draft – 3.8 meters
speed – 12 knots
hook pulling power – up to 35 tons
[mappress]
Shipbuilding Tribune Staff, May 01, 2012; Image: rusnavy