Construction of NE060 Project Tugboat for Arctic Operations Begins at B.E. Butoma Plant in Kerch

A keel-laying ceremony for the Arc6 ice-class NE060 project tugboat for FSUE "Rosmorport" took place at the B.E. Butoma shipbuilding plant in Kerch. The vessel is intended for operation on the Northern Sea Route and will be transferred to the Arctic Basin Branch of the enterprise by May 31, 2028.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of the plant, "Rosmorport," and the Crimean authorities. A commemorative plaque was installed by Valery Yakovenko, Deputy Director for Fleet of the Arctic Branch of "Rosmorport," Oleg Goncharov, General Director of the plant, Andrey Kozyrev, First Deputy Chairman of the State Council of Crimea, and Anushavan Agadjanyan, Minister of Industry of Crimea. The vessel will be built for operation in the port of Sabetta, where it will escort tankers and dry cargo ships, conduct towing operations, and assist in accident response.

The NE060 tugboat will be equipped with two diesel engines and screw-steering propellers for operation in ice conditions. The vessel will be able to extinguish fires and participate in oil spill response operations. According to "Rosmorport," the project meets the growing demand for transportation in the Arctic, where reliable equipment is required for harsh conditions.

The B.E. Butoma shipbuilding plant, founded in 1938, is known as one of the largest enterprises in Crimea. Its dry dock is one of the largest in Europe, allowing the construction of high-class vessels. The tugboat project was developed by "Nordic Engineering" and completed in March 2024.

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