Two new high-speed "Meteor" boats were launched in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

      On May 25, 2026, at 18:49, in the Nizhny Novgorod region, a ceremony was held for the launch of two high-speed passenger hydrofoil vessels "Meteor 120R," the Ministry of Transport reported. The vessels were built at the shipbuilding complex of JSC "Central Design Bureau for Hydrofoil Vessels named after R.E. Alekseev."

      The ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev, Governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region Gleb Nikitin, and Chairman of the Board of Directors - Chief Designer of the enterprise Georgy Antsev.

      The "Meteor 120R" is an upgraded version of the Soviet "Meteor" vessels. The ships are intended for high-speed interregional passenger transportation and are used, among other things, within the framework of the "River Highways" project.

      The vessel is designed to carry 120 passengers over a distance of up to 600 kilometers. The average speed is 65 km/h. The autonomy of navigation reaches eight hours, and the fuel supply is sufficient for approximately 10 hours of travel. The length of the "Meteor 120R" is about 36 meters, and the width is about 10 meters. The Ministry of Transport emphasized that this is the largest river vessel on hydrofoils in its class.

      Vitaly Savelyev noted that river transport holds special significance for Russia. According to him, it was in the USSR that high-speed hydrofoil vessels became a mass passenger transport, with a key contribution from the Nizhny Novgorod shipbuilding school and designer Rostislav Alekseev.

      "Well-known 'Rockets,' 'Meteors,' 'Comets' operated on rivers and sea routes within the country and were supplied to 35 countries around the world," said the Deputy Prime Minister.

      The Ministry of Transport also noted that the "Meteor 120R" can operate in conditions where standard docking infrastructure is absent, allowing for the launch of new routes and increasing the transport accessibility of settlements. The vessel is equipped with an intelligent control system, and the cabin is fitted with climate control and multimedia systems.

      The "Central Design Bureau for Hydrofoil Vessels named after R.E. Alekseev" is a full-cycle enterprise engaged in the design, construction, and maintenance of river hydrofoil vessels. In addition to the "Meteor 120R," the enterprise has released a series of 22 "Valdai 45R" vessels operating in various regions of the country. Among other projects of the company is the air-cushion vessel "Volzhsky."

      According to the Ministry of Transport, within the framework of the "River Highways" project, about 33 thousand passengers were transported in 2025 along eight high-speed routes. The volume of subsidies amounted to 17.7 million rubles.

      In 2026, the project is allocated 94.8 million rubles in federal funding. Transportation is planned to be organized along 27 routes, and passenger traffic is expected to nearly double to 60 thousand people. The network of routes will be expanded to Yaroslavl, Samara, Saratov, Ivanovo Region, and Chuvashia, and lines along the Kama from Perm to Udmurtia will also be launched.

      Additionally, the inclusion of routes along Baikal and Amur is being considered for the future. A program for preferential leasing of water transport with state funding is in place to update the high-speed passenger fleet.

      Earlier, we reported on where to travel on "Valdais" and "Meteors" from Nizhny Novgorod in 2026. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and timely information.

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