Четверг

New pontoons will help in transfer operations

Post a Comment 16.10.2008 – 14:30 | Permalink |  Print This Post |

Ship-repairing yard “Nerpa” has successfully passed government testing of pontoons aim at the security of the utilized nuclear submarines transfer. Special supporting pontoons provided for the secure transfer across the Kola Bay were first used for the tug of submarines. Transfer took place at night that made it more difficult to carry out but the equipment made by Nizhny Novgorod engineers of “Lazurit” passed the testing. As Irina Anzulatova, Head of Press-office of “Nepra”, explained, the idea of creating special pontoons for the transfer of the decommissioned and utilized submarines had became part of a project two years ago. The realization of the project was financed by UK in the frames of AMEC programme (The Programme of Military Ecological Cooperation in Arctic). The construction was made on Snezhnogorsk Ship-repairing yard “Nerpa”. Specialists of the company made the unique work as there is no analogue of such floating equipment for the transfer of submarines.

Supporting power of each pontoon is about 200 tons. Construction has double boards and double decks For the better durability. Pontoons themselves keep the balance of submarines according to the power of wind and waves that provides floatation of submarines even in a 4-force storm. Pontoons showed its reliability on first testing held in utilized submarine of “Charlie” class.

The submarine of first generation rusted in docks for several decades was chosen for the government testing. Transportation of decommissioned submarines to the place of its utilization “Nepra” turned to be difficult. Nuclear fuel from the submarine’s reactor was previously removed from the nuclear submarine. It was successfully completed by the specialists of “Nepra”, 40 CNII MO RF and VMF of the Russian Federation.

Pontoons used in transfer to the docks of “Nepra” were fastened in pairs to the stern and rostrum of the submarine. Transfer operation was carried out in the frames of utilization project of submarine №291 of “November” class. The project is financed by UK and Norway in equal shares (The Programme of Global Cooperation). The Government Commission decided pontoons are ready for the usage. Pontoons SPP-200 will be directed to the Department of Salvage and Rescue Operations of the Russian Federation.