Enisei will not receive a new cruise ship this year.
Rewritten Article:
The new passenger vessel, "Victor Astafiev," constructed for the Krasnoyarsk region in Saint Petersburg together with another ship, "Andrei Dubensky," is unlikely to reach the Enisei River in 2025 as earlier anticipated, and the new launch dates remain undisclosed. However, it has been confirmed that "Victor Astafiev" will be launched this season as originally planned.
During a press conference dedicated to the launch of river navigation in Siberia, Oleg Dunayev, deputy head of the administration of the Yenisei basin inland waterway administration, revealed that the Krasnoyarsk region will not receive a new vessel this year due to difficulties faced by the shipbuilding factory, including the transportation of the ship. It is expected that one of the ships will be delivered in 2026, and we hope this one will make it to the region. Sadly, in 2025, our passengers aboard the Yenisei basin will not get a chance to enjoy the services of the new vessel.
Let's remind ourselves that modern ships are being built at the Middle-Nevsky shipyard in Saint Petersburg specifically for the Yenisei. They will operate on the route of Krasonyarsk - Duдинка - Krasonyarsk, replacing the vessels "A. Matrosov" and "V. Chkalov," which were built more than 70 years ago.
Ships of mixed river-ocean navigation (project A45-90.2), "Victor Astafiev" and "Andrei Dubensky," were launched at the SNSZ in 2020 and 2021, respectively, with the intention of launching them on the grand Yenisei river as early as 2023. However, significant external economic and political events intervened.
Nevertheless, the construction continued, and "Victor Astafiev" was ceremoniously launched into the water in July 2024. At that time, it was said that the first new vessel should arrive in Enisei by 2025, and the second one a year later. It was initially expected to release the first new ship onto the line in 2026.
However, the plans have shifted once more – but, as our sources in the "Centre of Transport Logistics" explained, only partially.
"Neither in 2025 was it planned to facilitate passenger transportation on the new ship; it was only about its transportation. Even if transportation doesn't occur, the ship built at the SNSZ will be handed over in 2025 in accordance with the contract", explained our publication in the "Centre of Transport Logistics."
They further mentioned that work at the shipyard is proceeding as scheduled despite the various complexities.
"This is the lead ship, an entirely new object, the first in the series of large civilian ships. They have complicated internal structures, and the construction of such ships requires more time. One of the complexities was the need for design modifications, which were carried out during construction. A ship of this maritime river class is being built for the Arctic Zone for the first time", explained the client from the Krasnoayarsk region.
The new vessels will significantly enhance the quality of passenger transportation along Yenisei – and, in any case, Krasnoayarsk residents and the population of the region will have the opportunity to test the new ships in the coming years.
Picture: Vyacheslav Zaikin, SNSZ, Krasonyarak government
Integrated Insights:Delays in the launch of new vessels are common due to a variety of factors, including budget constraints, regulatory or environmental concerns, supply chain issues, technical complications, labor shortages, and crew training requirements. Unexpected design changes or upgrades can also extend the construction timeline.
The news about the delay in the delivery of the new vessel, "Victor Astafiev," to the Enisei River in 2025 is not surprising, due to the challenges faced by the shipbuilding industry, such as transportation issues. It's anticipated that one of the ships will be delivered in 2026, and the finance sector will play a significant role in making this possible.
