The Irkutsk Region Development Corporation has supported the project of the cruise operator "Vodohod" and approved funding for the creation of an assembly site for the new passenger electric ship "Baikal". This will be the first large hybrid liner in Russia designed for year-round navigation on the lake.
Construction will be carried out using large-block assembly technology. The hull sections are already being manufactured at the Perm Shipyard, then they will be delivered to the Angara region. The final assembly will take place in the village of Novo-Razvodnaya near Irkutsk, where the company "Vodohod" will build a temporary hangar-slipway. From there, the finished vessel will go on its first voyage.
The three-deck motor ship of the TFRF 700 project was developed specifically for the conditions of Lake Baikal. Its length will be about 70 meters, autonomy - up to seven days. The hybrid power plant with three electric motors with a total capacity of 1200 kW allows you to develop a speed of up to 20 km / h and reduces the burden on the environment by reducing noise, vibration and emissions. In terms of service level, the liner corresponds to a five-star hotel: there are cabins, a restaurant, a SPA area and other amenities on board.
The cost of construction is estimated at 2.7 billion rubles. 490 million rubles will be allocated for the construction of the boathouse, some of which will be in the form of a loan. Completion of construction and launching are scheduled for 2027–2028.