On May 5, 2026, the high-speed passenger hydrofoil (SPK) "Kometa 120M" "Cosmonaut Pavel Popovich" made its first regular international voyage of the season on the Sochi — Sukhumi route, "Pervy Tekhnichesky" was informed by the United Shipbuilding Corporation (OSK).
The history of the route began on August 30, 2025 — after a long break, the vessel embarked on a test voyage, during which all key procedures were worked out: border, customs, and passenger. From August to September last year, the "Kometa" transported about a thousand passengers, confirming high demand and the line's readiness for full operation.
From May to October, the vessel will operate on this route at least twice a week. Departure from Sochi at 9:00 AM, from Sukhumi at 4:00 PM. The journey time is 2.5 hours. For comparison, a car trip by land takes about four hours.
Technical Specifications
The "Kometa 120M" belongs to Project 23160, developed by the R.E. Alekseev Central Design Bureau for Hydrofoil Vessels. Construction was carried out by the Rybinsk plant "Vympel" with the participation of the Feodosia plant "More".
The vessel is 35.2 meters long and 10.3 meters wide with a displacement of 73 tons. It is designed for 120 passengers and five crew members. The maximum speed exceeds 35 knots (about 65 kilometers per hour), the cruising range is 200 nautical miles, and the autonomy is 8 hours.
The "Kometa 120M" is equipped with modern communication and navigation systems, a roll damping system, and air conditioning. The economy and business class cabins are equipped with aircraft-type seats and made of vibration-absorbing materials for passenger comfort.
In total, OSK has built a series of five high-speed vessels of Project 23160 for operation in the Azov-Black Sea basin. This season, other routes for vessels of this type are planned to open.
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