Ansis Zeltiņš, manager of the Freeport of Riga: “The sustainability of the ports of Europe and the Baltic region goes hand in hand with the development of innovative environmental technologies and the positioning of their activities in the development of new energy resources. The keys to success are cooperation, knowledge and best practices. The Freeport of Riga has been devoting its resources and efforts to keep Riga on the wave of sustainable development in these geopolitically difficult conditions for several years, both by cooperating with LV innovation companies and by exchanging experience with EU port industry leaders (Rotterdam, Trieste, Stockholm, Plymouth, etc.) . This is the beginning of the modernization of the port fleet in order to test and switch to the use of emission-free technologies in the daily life of the port, thus contributing to Riga’s inclusion in the network of the so-called future “green” transport corridors of Europe.”
The modern and multifunctional vessel of the technical fleet will be suitable not only for breaking ice in the port’s water area and the Gulf of Riga, but also for performing various other functions necessary for the operation of the port, including lifting buoys, performing hydrographic measurements, as well as providing support in pollution collection, rescue and evacuation works, which is already currently provided by “LVR Fleet”.
“Looking to the future, the performance of this vessel will open up opportunities for our company to form new partnerships and launch new services, such as servicing wind farms at sea. Considering that the ship is suitable for the needs of military mobility, we also see a perspective in providing services to the defense industry,” comments Kaspars Ozoliņš, a member of the board of “LVR Fleet”.
The new ship promises to be more efficient and maneuverable than the large icebreakers currently at the disposal of the “LVR Fleet”. The small draft of the ship, which will not exceed 3 meters, will allow the ship to be used also in shallower places in the port of Riga and on the coast for the needs of the Navy and the harbor master.
The project will be implemented by the Estonian shipbuilding company Baltic Workboats AS, which won the right to implement the order as a result of an open tender. The new vessel will be built at one of the leading European shipbuilding companies, Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld, in the Netherlands, and adapted to the specific requirements of “LVR Fleet” at the Baltic Workboats AS shipyard in Saaremaa, Estonia.
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“In the development of the ship’s technical specification, “LVR Fleet” has conducted a comprehensive survey of the parties involved, consulting with the authorities of the big ports of Latvia, the Maritime Administration of Latvia, the National Armed Forces and others. Valuable comments were received from the involved parties, which contribute to the applicability of the ship for the performance of various functions”, explains K. Ozoliņš. The main technical parameters of the ship: length – 27 m, width – 9.1 m, draft – 2.9 m, as well as required ice class 1C (Finnish-Swedish ice class 1C). The hybrid drive (diesel and electric motor) includes 2 diesel engines with a total power of 1940 kW, as well as a 160 kW electric engine and battery system, which provides one hour of sailing autonomy in electric mode. Within the framework of the project, the necessary electric charging infrastructure will also be created in the port of Riga.
The project “Purchase of a modern and efficient icebreaker for ensuring ice breaking in the Gulf of Riga” is implemented with CINEA co-financing within the framework of the transport military mobility program. The amount of investment provided for in the contract for the purchase of a new ship is 10.498 million euros and CINEA’s co-financing is 5.076 million euros from the eligible costs of the project.
2023-12-04 11:53:39
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