Krasnoe Sormovo completed the first and launched the second of five tankers for BF Tanker
February 13, 2025

Shipbuilders in Sormovo are constructing another tanker-chemical carrier of the RST27M project for the company "BF Tanker." Today, it was ceremoniously launched into the water in the presence of the company’s employees and the vessel's customers. In the RST27 series, "Balt Flot-17" is the 25th tanker built at the "Krasnoye Sormovo" Plant (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, USC).

The ship's godmother, Natalia Dunets, manager of marine and river transportation at PJSC "NK Rosneft," broke a traditional bottle of champagne against the chemical tanker’s hull. Representatives from USC, city authorities, the shipyard, designers, and residents of Nizhny Novgorod were present at the event. After the launch, the tanker-chemical carrier "Balt Flot-17" will proceed to mooring and sea trials. Recall that the first tanker of the RST27M project, "Balt Flot-16," left the slipways of the "Krasnoye Sormovo" Plant in July of this year. The tanker successfully completed its sea trials, and on September 6, the acceptance-transfer act for the vessel was signed. Three more tankers-chemical carriers of this project are currently being built in the Sormovo workshops.

According to the contracts, the "Krasnoye Sormovo" Plant is obligated to build five tanker-chemical carriers of the RST27M project for the "State Transport Leasing Company" between 2017 and 2018. LLC "BF Tanker" is the consignee under these contracts.

Tanker-chemical carriers of the RST27M project are vessels of the upgraded RSR27 project, which, according to the plant's general director Nikolay Zharkov, are the result of effective work by designers and Sormovo specialists. The new vessels are designed to fully meet modern cargo carriers' requirements. The cargo capacity of the new project's tanker-chemical carriers has increased by more than 800 tons, and there is an option to transport up to three types of cargo in one voyage using six tanks: oil and petroleum products, as well as hazardous liquid substances in bulk.

Vessel specifications

A self-propelled single-deck tanker with six cargo tanks, two main engines, two propeller-rudder columns (fixed-pitch propellers), mixed "river/sea" navigation with a deadweight of about 5337/7875 tons (river/sea) of the "Volga-Don max" class. The vessel's length is 140.8 m; width is 16.9 m; draft is 3.6 m in the river / 4.6 m in the sea. Vessel class: КМ Ice1 1 R2 AUT1-ICS OMBO VCS ECO-S Oil tanker/Chemical tanker type 2 (ESP). The project developer is the Marine Engineering Bureau. Working design was carried out by Volga-Caspian PKB.

Lead vessel of the RST27M project "Balt Flot 16" (hull number 02022) was laid down on January 25, 2017. Launched on July 21, 2017. Delivered on September 6, 2017.

Second vessel "Balt Flot 17" (hull number 02025) was laid down on March 15, 2017. Launched on September 8, 2017.

Third vessel "Balt Flot 18" (hull number 02026) was laid down on April 25, 2017.

Fourth vessel "Balt Flot 19" (hull number 02027) was laid down on June 27, 2017.

Fifth vessel "Balt Flot 20" (hull number 02028) was laid down on August 18, 2017.