Russian shipbuilding is facing a systemic problem: a shortage of modern diesel engines is hindering the development of the fleet. A deficit of key components and the disruption of cooperation chains are jeopardizing the implementation of new projects and the modernization of existing ships, warned Doctor of Technical Sciences Dmitry Onishchenko.
It's not just about marine installations, because the production of basic elements for different types of engines is concentrated in the same enterprises. Any failure in the system automatically hits the entire industry.
In order for the engine-building enterprises of the industry to develop sustainably, they should not be divided by areas: marine, railway, automotive.
According to him, the only way out is through the unification of resources — from factories and engineering companies to scientific centers and universities. A key step could be the launch of federal coordination and the formation of a common development strategy.
It is necessary to fill the gaps that we have, and draw a roadmap that allows us to most effectively ensure the organization of production of products that are in great demand today in our country.
Otherwise, the industry risks losing its pace of development, and dependence on narrow production chains will only increase.
At the same time, the construction of new ships in Russia costs three times more than in China. The root of the problem lies in low labor productivity and a large-scale lag in the level of automation and robotization.
Not everything is smooth in the defense sector either. The head of the Marine Board, Nikolai Patrushev, warned that the presence in the Russian Navy of ships with a significant service life negatively affects the combat capabilities of the fleet. He called for increasing the production capacity of shipbuilding enterprises, to modernize and technically re-equip them.