Russia’s Navy to receive Mikhail Kazansky large hydrographic boat in late December.

The Project 23370 large hydrographic boat Mikhail Kazansky is planned to join the Russian Navy on December 25, 2019, the Defense Ministry’s press office said.

Project 23370G hydrographic boat Mikhail Kazansky (Picture source: rg.ru)

The ceremony will take place at the Vyborg Shipyard in northwest Russia, the press office added.

"Earlier, the Mikhail Kazansky large hydrographic boat that is the lead Project 23370G vessel completed its state trials in the Gulf of Finland. Project 23370G vessels are being built for the Navy’s hydrographic service by the KAMPO Company in the Moscow Region," the press office said.

"In August 2019, the modules for the boat were loaded on trucks at the KAMPO Company in the Moscow Region and were transported to the Vyborg Shipyard for its final assembly," the press office added.

Under the program, manoeuvrability and seaworthiness of the boat and the operation of its systems and mechanisms were tested at the final stage of the trials. At the end of the trials, the state commission chairman signed the acceptance report.

The project 23370G multifunctional modular hydrographic boat has been developed on the basis of projects 23370 and 23370M boats, which the KAMPO enterprise is building in the interest of search and rescue forces of the Russian Navy and which have already proven their efficiency.

The Mikhail Kazansky large hydrographic boat is unique due to the catamaran-type design of its hull, which has significantly increased the usable space on the deck to accommodate hydrographic equipment. Three hydrographic boats of the type are expected to be delivered to the Navy’s hydrographic service by the end of 2020.