Russian specialist designer and builder Alekseev’s Hydrofoil Design Bureau yesterday launched the first of a new design hydrofoil to be operated by Russian inland transport operator Severrechflot which ordered four of the type in late 2019.
The vessel is a Meteor 120R type able to carry 120 passengers and having a range of 600km.
“Meteor 120R is a symbiosis of the best traditions of the design school of Rostislav Alekseev and innovative engineering and technical solutions: a new generation wing scheme that allows the vessel to develop cruising speeds of up to 80 km/h, while maintaining comfort for passengers, modern hull materials, an integrated vessel control system using artificial intelligence, serving the safety of navigation. This is an “intelligent” ship with a modern comfortable cabin with climate control, multimedia systems, a beautiful panoramic view and a café-bar in the aft part, “said Georgy Antsev, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Alekseev’s Hydrofoil Design Bureau.
The construction of the Meteor 120R type marks another step in the resumption of serial production of hydrofoils in Russia. Previously, we could only dream of resuming the serial production of hydrofoils, but today this is a reality: 11 Valdai have already been launched, they run in three regions of Russia, including navigation in six directions is open in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Today we are present at the descent of the lead vessel “Meteor 120R”, and there are already plans for the further development of the direction of hydrofoils, “said the Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region Gleb Nikitin.
“New vessels make it possible to launch new routes, increase the transport accessibility of settlements in the regions. The design of the vessel was held within the framework of the state program for the development of shipbuilding and equipment for the development of offshore fields until 2030 with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia. Renewal and replenishment of the passenger fleet in the regions with these new, modern vessels became possible thanks to the state program of preferential leasing. When creating the Meteor, all the wishes of passengers and operators of such vessels were taken into account. It turned out to be a modern, safe and comfortable vessel for passengers and crew.” – said the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov.
