The President saw the ship’s base section to which he attached a plate with the ship’s name. The scheduled state contract deadline is November 25, 2024.
The Nikolay Zubov is a multipurpose vessel combining the qualities of a tug-boat, an ice breaker and a patrol ship capable of breaking through up to 1.5 metres of ice. The ship is designed to guard and monitor the Arctic water resources and to escort and tug seized ships to port. In addition, it can be used in convoys and to support supply ships, take part in rescue operations and move special cargo in containers on the upper deck. The ship’s area of operations will be from the tropics to the Arctic region. The ship has space reserved to deploy strike missile weapons. In addition, the ship will be equipped with a helicopter pad and a hangar to station a helicopter and drone aircraft, two speedboats and an AK-176MA automatic gun mount.
The President talked briefly with shipyard employees.
Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, General Director of Admiralty Shipyards Alexander Buzakov, Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu, Vice Prime Minister Yury Borisov, Commander of the Russian Navy Nikolay Yevmenov and President of the United Shipbuilding Corporation Alexey Rakhmanov accompanied the President on his visit.
Admiralty Shipyards is the base manufacturer in the shipbuilding sector and a non-nuclear submarine building centre in Russia. Currently the vessels under construction include two series of submarines for the Russian Navy, a series of patrol ice-breakers for the Russian Navy, a series of large refrigerator trawlers, and the North Pole ice-resistant self-propelled platform.
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Speech at the keel laying ceremony for the Nikolai Zubov ice class patrol ship
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, friends.
I am sincerely happy to welcome you and congratulate you on the keel laying of this new Russian warship, the Nikolai Zubov. This is a major event for the Navy and for Admiralty Shipyards. This company has been building ships of the most diverse classes and designations for 315 years, from sailing ships to submarines and icebreakers. It continues the cause and traditions of many generations of talented and skilled shipbuilders and upholds the glory of Russia as a great marine power.
Today we are starting the construction of the second cutting edge, unique, and powerful icebreaker class patrol ship. It is designed to serve in complicated, sometimes dangerous and unpredictable northern conditions, to effectively resolve a broad range of tasks, support merchant shipping and research on the Northern Sea Route and of course, reliably protect our border areas and Russia’s national interests in the Arctic latitudes.
Trailblazers and explorers in the Russian north, legendary polar researchers and naval officers who took on nature with their courage, valour and will, could only dream of such equipment and ships. Nikolai Zubov was one of them. He was a strong and resolute Arctic researcher. I am confident that the new ship will bear his name with honour.
I would like to emphasise that the development of the Russian Navy and all of its components has been and remains one of our priorities. We will continue to fulfill and resolve these strategic national objectives consistently and effectively. We always rely on the experience, high professionalism and well-coordinated efforts of the workers at Admiralty Shipyards and our other shipbuilders.
I sincerely wish good luck and success to all those who will build this ship: to the engineers and workers, and of course, to its future crew. As you say, fair winds and following seas! My congratulations to you.