The first serial marine tug of the project 23470 “Andrey Stepanov”, built specifically for the Pacific Fleet, completed tests on the Black Sea and began preparations for the transition to Kamchatka. It is reported by the press service of the Eastern Military District of the Pacific Fleet.
According to the press-service, the sea tug will make an inter-fleet transition from the Black Sea to the Pacific Fleet, at the same time it is planned, that the ship will arrive at the place of deployment by the Northern Sea Route. An experienced crew is in tow, formed in Kamchatka and trained.
Newest tug “Andrey Stepanov” will become a member of the detachment of supply vessels for troops and forces in the north-east of Russia. It is planned that the ship will arrive at the place of deployment by the Northern Sea Route
– It said in a statement.
Recall, what a tug “Andrey Stepanov” entered the factory sea trials in the Black Sea at the beginning of May this year, after their end, state, and the introduction of the tug into the fleet itself was planned for 2021 year.
Second after the head “Sergey Balka”, sea tug “Andrey Stepanov” is the first serial in a series of five offshore tugs of the project 23470. Built at the Yaroslavl shipyard in accordance with the concluded in 2014 year contract for two sea tugs for the Ministry of Defense. Pledged to the NW 27 July 2015 year and launched 29 June 2017 of the year. Later he was transferred to the Sevastopol shipyard “Perseus”, where was completed on the water.
These sea tugs are designed for sea towing of vessels, floating objects and structures in ice and clean water; pilotage of ships in the water area of ports and mooring; performing escort operations at sea; extinguishing fires at floating and onshore facilities, and also for extinguishing fuel burning on water; removal of ships and vessels from aground.
At the aft end of the ship there is a platform for receiving and taking off helicopters. Availability of a crane with a lifting capacity 20 t at boom 13 m with active heave compensation allows the tug to independently carry out cargo operations and service the helipad as in calm water, and in sea conditions.
Main dimensions of the vessel: the maximum length, m 69,75; maximum width, m 15,0; board height to VP, m 6,7; maximum draft, m 5,2, displacement – 3200 t. Autonomy reserves provisions – 30 day, cruising range at speed 14 with. – 3000 miles. Navigation area – unlimited according to ice reinforcement class Arc 4.
The tug is named after Stepanov Andrey Ivanovich (1863–1905), which 1904 year was appointed commander of the transport workshop “Kamchatka”, which was part of the Second Squadron of the Pacific Fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Z. P. Rozhdestvensky. In the final phase of the Tsushima battle, A.I. Stepanov tried to help the heavily damaged flagship battleship “Prince Suvorov” and even cover it from the attack of a detachment of Japanese destroyers with small-caliber guns “Kamchatka”. Killed at a combat post in battle with the enemy.
