USPA Plans to Renew Its Dredging Fleet

The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA) and the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine held the Ukrainian Shipyard Day yesterday and presented the enterprise’s fleet renewal plans for the future period.

During the event, the USPA experts introduced a prospective program of acquisition and construction of the enterprise’s vessels for the period 2017-2021.

“It is much more profitable for the state to develop its own fleet for regular work, rather than to attract contractors for these volumes. Therefore, the USPA will invest in this direction and will do it systematically and transparently,” said the chairman of USPA, Raivis Veckagans.

The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority intends to purchase 20 vessels, including six pilot boats, seven multifunctional vessels and a modern icebreaker to ensure the safety of navigation at the Azov Sea.

At the meeting, USPA also introduced the plans to renew the enterprise’s dredging fleet; they plan to purchase a sounding boat, a self-propelled suction dredge and the self-propelled dump scows.

This will increase the volume of operational dredging that USPA will be able to carry out by its own means without involving contracting organizations, USPA said.

Representatives of leading shipyards and design institutes of Ukraine, Turkey, European and Baltic countries, heads of major international shipbuilding groups like Damen, MAVI DENIS, Fiskerstrand, Baltic Workboat, Aker Arctic, Ukrainian design enterprises and scientific institutions took part in the event.