A vessel for the Northern Sea Route is being built in Nizhny Novgorod for 7 billion rubles.

      On June 24, 2026, at 17:30, the construction of the hydrographic survey vessel of ice class Arc-7 for operation on the Northern Sea Route continues at the Volga shipyard in Nizhny Novgorod. The overall technical readiness of the project is 42%, with the hull readiness at 94-95%, reports IA "NTA-Privolzhye."

      The vessel was laid down in October 2023 and named after the geographer Pavel Mikhalenko. The customer is the state corporation "Rosatom." The delivery date is scheduled for 2028, and the project cost exceeds seven billion rubles.

      The project is intended for the exploration and mapping of the seabed of the Northern Sea Route, determining safe routes with depths of 17-23 meters, installing navigation signs, as well as performing supply and rescue tasks. Hydrographic equipment, including echo sounders and deep-sea devices, as well as facilities for divers and laboratories, will be installed on board.

      The vessel is designed to operate in ice up to two meters thick. It is equipped with a dynamic positioning system that allows it to automatically maintain its position in a given point during wind and current. According to the chief shipbuilder Vladislav Mukovnin, high power is necessary for stable operation in challenging Arctic conditions.

      The project is being implemented according to a diesel-electric scheme: five diesel generators produce electricity for the propeller electric motors, which rotate two propeller-steering columns. Some equipment, including electric motors, is supplied from China.

      Construction is being carried out in parallel with the development of working documentation. Due to the phased arrival of drawings, the hull was assembled from three parts - bow, central, and stern - with subsequent joining.

      Currently, pipe installation work, installation of cooling and fire-fighting systems, painting, and insulation of living quarters are underway. The project involves 141 people, including about 80 factory employees.

      A separate engineering task will be to bring the vessel to its place of service. The depth of the river at the factory is about 2.5 meters with a vessel draft of 6 meters, so it will be launched into the water at 80% readiness. Special pontoons will be used for transportation: they will be placed under the hull, after which the vessel will be towed. The mast and part of the equipment will be temporarily dismantled.

      Earlier, the captain of the vessel spoke about the most challenging sections of the Volga for navigation. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.