Sea trials have begun in Russia for the oil and garbage skimmer "Eko-1", developed as part of Project NE028 for FSUE "Rosmorport". The vessel was built at the Onezhsky Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Plant and is currently undergoing the final stage of inspection before being handed over to the customer and put into operation.

The start of the trials was announced by the plant's director, Alexander Solovyov, during a conference call with representatives of the government and the Ministry of Transport. According to him, a series of two vessels is being prepared for phased commissioning, with "Eko-1" to be sent to the Northwestern Basin Branch after the tests are completed, and the second vessel in the series – "MNMS "Lebed"" – planned for transfer to the Astrakhan Branch.

Project NE028 is a compact single-deck vessel with a twin-shaft diesel power plant and a bow-located working deck. The design includes a two-tier wheelhouse and an engine room in the stern, which increases the efficiency of the layout and operation in shallow waters.

The vessel is designed for a wide range of environmental tasks: deploying boom barriers, spraying reagents on contaminated areas, collecting and transporting oil-containing residues with a flash point above 60 degrees, as well as removing floating debris and transporting cargo on deck, including containers.

Technically, "Eko-1" is built to ice class Ice1, equipped with an AUT3 system, and designed for operation in challenging water conditions. The hull length is 15.5 meters, width is 6 meters, draft is 1.5 meters, and displacement is approximately 95.7 tons. The power plant with a capacity of 2x120 kW provides a speed of at least 7 knots with a crew of only two people.