Enisey won't receive a new cruise ship this year.
Revised Article:
The much-anticipated passenger ship, the "Victor Astafiev," built for the Krasnoyarsk region in St. Petersburg along with another vessel, "Andrei Dubensky," seems to be delaying its arrival on the Yenisei River line in 2025, as previously expected. The new launch dates have yet to be announced. However, sources confirm that the "Astafiev" is on track for delivery this season, as planned.
During a press conference dedicated to the launch of river navigation in Siberia, authorities revealed that the Krasnoyarsk region would not be receiving a new ship this year. This is due to the complications faced by the shipbuilder, including the transportation of the vessel.
"Unfortunately, the Krasnoyarsk region will not receive a new ship this year. The delays are due to issues at the shipyard, including the transportation of the ship. We anticipate receiving one ship in 2026, and we hope it will be delivered to the region. Regrettably, our passengers in the Yenisei River basin will not be able to use the services of the new ship in 2025," said Oleg Dunayev, a deputy head of the fleet administration for the Yenisei River Basin Inland Waterway Administration.
As a reminder, the modern ships are being built at the Sredne-Nevsky Shipbuilding Plant in St. Petersburg specifically for the Yenisei. They will run the route Kransnoyarsk - Duydinka - Kransnoyarsk and replace the ships "A. Matrossov" and "V. Chkalov," built over 70 years ago.
The mixed-traffic ships (river-ocean) project A45-90.2 "Victor Astafiev" and "Andrei Dubensky" were laid down at the SNSZ in 2020 and 2021 and initially planned to launch on the Yenisei River as early as 2023. However, significant external economic and political events intervened.
Despite these interruptions, construction has continued, and "Astafiev" was ceremoniously launched onto the water in July 2024. At the time, it was said that the first new ship would arrive on the Yenisei in 2025, with the second to follow a year later. Consequently, the first new ship was expected to be operational on the line in 2026.
Now, the plans have been postponed yet again - but, according to reports in "Transport Logistics Center," only partially.
"Although passenger transportation on the new ship was not planned for this year, it was only for its transportation. Even if transportation does not occur, the ship built at the Sredne-Nevsky plant will still be delivered in 2025, in accordance with the contract terms," explained our source in "Transport Logistics Center."
They went on to say that construction progresses as scheduled despite various challenges.
"This is the lead ship, an entirely new vessel, the first in a series of large passenger ships. They have complex internal structures, and they require more time for construction. One of the difficulties was the need for redesigning, which was done during the construction process. A ship of this size and class for the Arctic region is being built for the first time," explained the client from the Krasnoyarsk region.
The new ships will significantly improve the quality of passenger transportation on the Yenisei - and residents of the Krasnoyarsk region, as well as those from the region, will have the opportunity to test the new ships in the near future.
Photo courtesy of Vyacheslav Zaikin, SNSZ, Krasnoyarsk government
Shipbuilding delays and changes in launch dates are not uncommon, and these can be influenced by various factors. To find the most accurate and up-to-date information, it's recommended to check official sources or news outlets that track developments in the Russian shipbuilding sector. This includes announcements from the shipbuilding company, statements from transport authorities, or regional news reports.
- The much-anticipated news regarding the "Victor Astafiev" and the "Andrei Dubensky" ships now shows a partial delay in their planned arrival on the Yenisei River line, which was initially expected for 2025.
- Despite the delay, reports from the "Transport Logistics Center" suggest that the "Victor Astafiev" will still be delivered in 2025, as per the contract terms, although passenger transportation may not take place until next year.
- The arrival of the new ships, built at the Sredne-Nevsky Shipbuilding Plant in St. Petersburg, is significant as they will operate the section Kransnoyarsk - Duydinka - Kransnoyarsk and replace older vessels, offering improved passenger transportation on the Yenisei River by 2026.
