ARKHANGELSK, December 13. /TASS/. The Arkhangelsk Region's Governor Alexander Tsybulsky during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Arkhangelsk suggested making a new shipyard for Arctic-class vessels that will work on the Northern Sea Route. The plant could be located in Severodvinsk.
"All experts say <…> we need another shipyard, comparable to Zvezda, to build big gross tonnage [vessels]. <…> In Severodvinsk there is a location, which back in 2013 was eyed for Novatek's project, which finally was built in Murmansk. The conditions there are very good. I would like to say, we have been working with [federal] ministries and with potential investors to have a shipyard there," the governor said.
The location is next to the Zvezdochka ship repair plant, and the canal there is sufficient for vessels with big gross tonnage.
The Arctic fleet must be upgraded, he continued. Over recent 20 years, 580 vessels have been decommissioned, while only 224 vessels have joined the fleet.