The court appointed an expert examination in the case of the damage to the Gorodetsky hydroelectric complex lock.

      On July 24, 2026, at 11:30, the Arbitration Court of the Nizhny Novgorod Region appointed a judicial examination regarding the lawsuit of the administration of the Volga Basin of Internal Waterways against the company "Volga Shipping Company." This information has been published in the arbitration case registry.

      The dispute is related to an incident at the Gorodets Hydrosystem on June 20, 2023. The barge-tug combination — the vessel "OT-2115" with barges "VFT-3" and "VFT-11" — collided with the upper working gates of lock No. 16. As a result, the structure was damaged.

      The waterways administration demands compensation of 158.95 million rubles from the shipping company for the damage to the gates.

      At the request of the defendant, the court decided to conduct an examination to establish the causes of the incident. Experts will need to answer three key questions: were there violations on the part of the vessel operator, did the lock watch staff make mistakes, and what was the extent of the influence of possible violations by each party on what happened.

      The court rejected additional questions from the plaintiff, considering them essentially a repetition of those already formulated. The ruling notes that expanding the list could prolong the process and increase the cost of the study.

      The examination is entrusted to specialists from the St. Petersburg Public Organization "Expert Marine Council." They have 30 working days to prepare a conclusion from the moment they receive all materials. The cost of the work will be 100,000 rubles — this amount has already been deposited by the defendant with the court.

      During the examination, the proceedings in the case are suspended.

      Let us remind you that reconstruction at the hydrosystem is currently ongoing. It is planned to be completed in December 2027. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and operational information.

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