Deep-sea diving system produced by Divex (Scotland) for Russian rescue ship Igor Belousov will be delivered, mounted, and tested by specialists of Russian company Tetis Pro which is going to provide 5-year long aftersales service and train operators. The contract with Tetis Pro will be signed in the nearest time, a source in defense ministry told Central Navy Portal.
Project 21300 rescue ship Igor Belousov was laid down in 2005 at Admiralteyskie Verfi shipyard. As is planned, the ship would be launched in Oct 2012, and commissioned into Russian Navy – in 2014.
Construction of the rescue ship so vital for the Navy was going on with considerable delays. In many ways, the reason was unsatisfactory work of Lazurit Design Bureau which was supposed to develop deep-sea diving system GVK-450, said the source.
Improper organization of design works and ineffective management of the bureau’s directors led to considerable schedule slippage which affected the ship’s construction rate.
JSC Lazurit Design Bureau presented feasibility study of development works with the system delivery date postponed to 2013 (so that the ship would be commissioned at least in 2015) and the necessity for about RUR 1.5 bln additional financing for manufacturing and delivery of GVK-450 system (without mounting on the ship). Upon examination of the mentioned sum, it was revealed that the amount was groundlessly overrated. According to the source of Central Navy Portal, this indicates dishonesty of that organization as executor of contractual commitments.
In Nov 2011, defense ministry, JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation, and Admiralteyskie Verfi shipyard decided to complete rescue ship Igor Belousov in 2014 without increase of overall cost. It was decided to waive the services of Lazurit Design Bureau offered to equip Igor Belousov with Italian components for diving system.
[mappress] Subsea World News Staff , February 29, 2012; Image: Rus Navy