New Pacific Fleet Tug Boats Ready for Action

Two new tug boats which recently joined the Russian Pacific Fleet have begun active service and are awaiting the expected arrival of new fourth-generation Borey-class nuclear submarines in Kamchatka during the course of the coming year, for which they are intended to perform mooring operations.

"The tugs RB-406 and RB-407 became part of the Pacific Fleet at the end of last year and have started active service," press spokesman for the Eastern Military District Roman Martov told RIA Novosti. "It is planned, that by the end of the winter period the boats will carry out more than 100 tows to ensure the safety of moored military vessels on the north-east coast of the Russian Federation, and the submarine force of the Pacific Fleet."

"These boats are set apart by their great technical capabilities," explained Martov, adding that the vessels make the Pacific Fleet support squad of vessels three times more effective in breaking through ice.

"They have powerful engines and are capable of sailing up to 100 miles away from the coast, and can carry out escort operations up to a speed of ten knots, remove sea vessels from the sea shelf, put out fires on sea craft and coastal structures, participate in the transport of cargo, break through ice, as well as search and rescue and special operations." 

The boats arrived in the port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in November last year, having been transported from the port of St Petersburg via the Suez Canal on the cargo ship Wiebka, in a journey which took 54 days. The boats, which are 28.5 meters long and 9.5 meters wide and have a thrust of 47 tons, were manufactured in St Petersburg by the Leningrad Pella shipyard.