The ferry schedule is the same old one, but it hasn’t changed:

Previously, the SP-28 ferry operated only in winter, but now it operates all year round. It is more spacious and can accommodate any vehicle, the only limitation being height. A passenger car - 170 rubles, a loaded truck - 1500 rubles. Cars leave from the same direction as they came in, in reverse. Schedule - from Vytegra (Vologda, Arkhangelsk) to Petrozavodsk. Exactly at 20.00 the barrier was opened and cars heading to Petrozavodsk entered the ferry. The ferry crossed Svir, and the last cars coming from Petrozavodsk entered.
Some more photos from the ferry:

Vasya, 03/12/2014 (5 years ago)

Tell me, is the ferry running now??

traveler, 03/12/2014 (5 years ago)

I can't say anything about today...

Alexander, 04/05/2014 (5 years ago)

You can find out for sure whether the ferry is operating or not by looking at the bus schedule at the bus station.
because the bus to Vytegra has been traveling through this ferry for 100,500 years, this will give you an exact guarantee that it works)

Dima, 06/20/2014 (5 years ago)

Comrades, I have a question, I’m traveling with cargo on a truck to Yaroslavl from Petrozavodsk-yarn-Leningrad region, can you tell me where the ferries are and how they operate?

traveler, 06/20/2014 (5 years ago)

From Petrozavodsk towards St. Petersburg along the M-18, and turn off at Lodeynoye Pole to Podporozhye-Vyterga, then there will be no ferries and it’s also faster, even though the mileage is longer.
But a completely normal road (well... at least without dirt roads) goes further, you need to get to Novaya Ladoga and then turn onto Tikhvin.

As for the bus schedule in Voznesenye as an indicator of the ferry’s operation, that’s a good idea, by the way. True, he may be mistaken, but still. What is on the schedule from (to) Petrozavodsk is supposed to go via ferry.

Well, if anyone doesn’t think to click there -

IceVentura, 07/23/2014 (5 years ago)

useful information, thanks :)

FrolovaV, 04/16/2015 (4 years ago)

Does anyone know if there is a ferry now or not?

mashyta91, 04/22/2015 (4 years ago)

Yes, the ferry runs all year round and on schedule!

Roma, 06/02/2015 (4 years ago)

how many cars? queue like in Crimea? Or will I get in with the boat when I arrive?

Denis, 06/08/2015 (4 years ago)

Now the ferry runs the same as indicated in the photo?

traveler, 02/07/2016 (3 years ago)

Most likely, nothing has changed in this schedule for many years. People often manage to get to this page by the request “We were born and live in Ascension”, an active VKontakte group - link By the way, you can find out the latest information about the ferry there, but if you don’t want to register on a social network, of course, write here

Olezhek, 03/18/2016 (3 years ago)

Yesterday I went there. There is a ferry. Only a new one already.

traveler, 03/19/2016 (3 years ago)

Which one now? What is the difference?

Egor, 03/25/2016 (3 years ago)

The ferry runs, but there is a terrible dirt road to the ferry, if you don’t mind the car, you can try it.

Mila, 04/13/2016 (3 years ago)

Egor “there’s a terrible road to the ferry” - how long is it and from where to where? I need to get from Petrozavodsk to Yaroslavl, I’m looking at the road.

Olga, 06/02/2016 (3 years ago)

They gave us a new ferry, but its quality is poor...they launched it in the fall, but it keeps breaking down. They either repaired it in a local workshop (yes, yes, there used to be a wonderful ship repair plant in Voznesenskaya Electronic Warfare Fleet in Voznesenye, which provided work to all local residents, but it was almost completely destroyed), then the ferry was taken away for repairs in Podporozhye. In general, it constantly breaks down. And what’s strange is that the compartment for people is located below (try driving there - everything is cracking and quite scary because of this) about the road.. It’s faster and more reliable to go through Lodeynoye Pole, but the road hasn’t been built yet. We went for a drive and after the trip we had to do a wheel alignment))

Olga, 06/02/2016 (3 years ago)

By the way, there are no queues for the ferry. At most, you may not get on this one, but you will definitely get on the next ferry according to the schedule, but this is rare. Mostly you get there right away (we go there often, because the circle through Lodeynoye is too big for us). There is a green shop near the ferry where you can buy coffee and powders or even something to eat. We bought there many times and liked everything very much, including the children. We tried buying cutlets there - very tasty, by the way

Olga, 06/02/2016 (3 years ago)

Oh. About wheel alignment, we drove the entire road from our village to Petrozavodsk. and we usually travel from the Leningrad region, but we’re not far from the ferry there

Svetlana, 06/22/2016 (3 years ago)

In 1984, there was no ferry as such. There was a raft. My husband, a truck driver, was crossing in a truck. And they almost drowned their raft))) Now the ferry is beautiful!

Papa BOR, 10/18/2016 (3 years ago)

We traveled along the route Petrozavodsk - Voznesenye - Vytegra in September 2016.
The ferry is running. Excellent crossing.
However, the road is rather bad. From Petrozavodsk to Shoksha or even to Rybreka it’s more or less normal, and then almost to Voznesenye the road is very bad - it’s broken up by dump trucks that carry stones from the quarry.
The crossing itself to Voznesenye operates according to schedule - everything is very good there. The price for crossing a passenger car remains 170 rubles.
After Ascension, there is old asphalt to the fork in Podporozhye, but from the fork to Vytegra (via Oshta, Vodlitsa and Upper Ponizovye (what a name!) I don’t recommend driving. ground clearance 18 cm.
This route is interesting only to drive along it and see that there is no need to go there. And if you are striving for some other goal, then I advise you to take other roads, even if the distance is much greater, you will save time and nerves))))

Elena, 12/14/2016 (3 years ago)

Can anyone please tell me how the road is in the winter after Ascension and to Vologda? If you drive a Lada.

Yura, 12/01/2017 (2 years ago) nikozlov wrote in September 3rd, 2014

Original taken from nikozlov at Ferry crossing "Svir-1". What to do if there is no bridge?

There are a lot of rivers and reservoirs in our country through which bridges have been built. But sometimes the road ends in water and there is no bridge, then the ferry crossing comes to the rescue.

Today I will tell you why a ferry is needed, how it works and how it makes money.

The crossing is located in the village of Voznesenye, on the Svir River. This is part of the duplicate routeSt. Petersburg-Petrozavodsk-Murmansk (R19).
An interesting post about the village of Voznesenye itself - in my journal!

Below the cut is a detailed story and many interesting photos!

The village of Voznesenye is the farthest point of the Leningrad region. It is located on both banks of the Svir, at its source from Lake Onega. There has never been a bridge here, and throughout the history of the village both banks were connected by a ferry crossing.

There are approximately 2.5 thousand residents in Voznesenye, and many of them have to visit the left and right banks several times a day. Some need to go to work, others need to go to the post office or to the store, others need to take their children to school or kindergarten... Therefore, the ferry operates all year round, from early morning until nine in the evening, performing at least 14 trips per day. Why “no less”, because in addition to the schedule, the ferry carries out special-purpose flights: for ambulances, police and firefighters. Previously, commercial flights were possible. If, for example, you don’t make it on time for the last ferry trip, then for 5,000 rubles you could be transported to the other side. Now there is no such thing - it is prohibited!

Now the situation with the ferry crossing to Voznesenye is close to critical. There are very old, rather worn-out ships operating here. In winter it is the self-propelled ferry SP-28, in summer it is the non-self-propelled "Svir-1" paired with a pusher tug RT-328. But there is good news for the residents of the village: in 2015, navigation will be opened by a new ferry being built at a shipyard in St. Petersburg.

1. Since it’s summer, I’ll talk about the non-self-propelled ferry “Svir-1” and the pusher RT-328.
It looks like this from the outside:

2. This whole strange non-self-propelled structure, similar to a catamaran, is set in motion by a real, self-propelled pusher tug RT-328. It was built in 1980, it is already 34 years old, but it is maintained in more or less good condition.

3. It is attached to the non-self-propelled part very firmly, with steel cables and backup ropes. It definitely won't come off...

4-5. Captain's cabin, Main Command Deck, Bridge - there are many names, but the essence is the same: from here the captain controls the ferry, monitors everything and plays the main role of navigator.

6. Between flights, the captain and crew rest in the room. There they can watch TV, lie down, drink tea and much more.

7. Okay, let's forget about RT for a while, let's go to the ferry itself. It's called SVIR-1, it's not hard to guess why. It resembles a catamaran, the deck of which is located on two pontoons.

8. Main deck. Cars stop here that want to get to Karelia or leave it, depending on the direction of travel.

9. The ferry can simultaneously accommodate, for example, 10 cars + 1 bus, or 2 cargo trucks + 5 cars. Scheme of placing cars in front of the entrance to Svir-1. It is old, instead of two cars 11-12 there is now a zone for passengers.

10. Passenger area. There are people sitting here who are moving to the other side. It is forbidden to sit in cars, so everyone is driven here like goats and rams into a barn at sunset.

11. Okay, stop being clever, it’s time to go on a flight. It's 12:40, the ferry is waiting to load.

12. There is already a line before the crossing. Everyone wants to go to the other side:

13-14. Loading begins. Two sailors, who are also car arrangers on the ferry. The cost of transportation is 170 rubles for a passenger car, a loaded truck - 1,500 rubles. The ferry runs every hour, 14 times a day. The first ferry is at 6 am, the last at 21 pm.

15. Everything is strictly according to the plan. Apparently, many years of practice have shown that this way more cars can be accommodated, because you need to transport as much transport as possible at one time.

16. The bus is the last to arrive. The sailor controls everything from land. Notice the bunch of signs in front of the ferry.

17-18. The issues with the cars have been resolved. Now there are only passengers left. But there is a place for them too... With a commanding voice, the sailor herds them onto the ferry, having previously given them the direction of where to go. People rushed:

19. Everything is in place. Or out of place. Anyway, everyone's on the ferry, it's 13:00, it's time to head out... The locals are sitting on benches, they've already seen enough, unlike tourists who take pictures against the backdrop of everything they come across along the way. This time they came across a ferry:

20-21. Everything is in place, it's time to go. A small bridge rises, which is needed to make it easier for a car to enter the ferry. Drivers of cars with low clearance need not worry! You will worry on the way to Karelia, haha:

22. The captain monitors everything from the bridge so that no accidents occur. He is in charge - he is responsible for everything...

23. As soon as he makes sure that everything is fine, everyone is loaded, sitting and standing firmly, the mooring lines are released:

24-26. The ferry begins to move, the sailors can smoke for 10 minutes. Now the captain begins his work:

27-28. All ships traveling along the river are required to allow the ferry to pass, as it runs on a schedule from which it is highly undesirable to deviate. People arrive at a certain time:

29-31. The captain of the ferry, Sergey Zakharov, has been working there for 3 years, he previously worked on other ships, he is a real captain. There are three shifts on the ferry, all per diem. The ferry captain must always be prepared, because if there is an emergency call from the fire brigade or ambulance, it must be immediately transported to the other side:

32. The width of the river is 400 meters, the ferry crosses it in about 10 minutes. People manage to fill up a flash drive with unnecessary photos and make a new avatar in Odnoklassniki:

33. There’s already a line on the other side. Everyone is waiting for the crossing, but unfortunately it will not be possible to take everyone away at once:

34. We are mooring. This is not the focus of parking in the Auchan parking lot; it requires a lot of experience to do it perfectly. Our captain coped with it... The controller didn’t even have tea spill out of a cup filled to the brim:

35. There is a dog on the ferry. He is always the first to jump onto land. No matter how many times I moved, I always saw him. The last one also jumps back:

36-38. While the cars are being unloaded and loaded, you can smoke and chat with the captain. Unloading and loading on the other side takes about 15-20 minutes:

39-40. You've already seen the loading process, so I won't show it, there are too many photos...
So, check again, everything is in place, the mooring lines are given and we are heading back:

41. The return journey is exactly the same and the same as there. Everything is the same, there is no point in showing it. We docked. Cars begin unloading:

42-44. That time the captain made two flights at once. I stayed on the shore... Thank you very much to Pavel Zakharov for the excursion and the kind welcome on the ship! I think we will use the ferry services more than once.

Thank you for reading to the end.

Along with high-speed transportation of passengers on small rivers, ferry crossings have also become widespread. There are especially many of them in the regions of Siberia, the Far East and the Far North, where the number of bridge structures across rivers is extremely limited. The crossings are served by ferries and passenger ships.

A ferry is a vessel designed to transport land vehicles, cargo and passengers across waterways. The main distinguishing features of ferries from traditional dry cargo ships are the presence of one or more decks for accommodating rolling land vehicles (cars or trucks, trailers, tractors, etc.), inter-deck spaces, ports and ramps for loading and unloading vehicles under their own power. . These general features are characteristic of all ro-ro vessels. An additional criterion that allows a ro-ro vessel to be classified as a ferry is the presence of more than 12 passenger seats on it.

Intensive operation and the need for frequent moorings in difficult conditions place increased demands on the controllability and maneuverability of ferry vessels. Transporting passengers on ferries requires additional stringent requirements for ship stability, especially during cargo operations, when the loading of various vehicles has a great impact on the position of the ship.

Ferries are classified according to their purpose, cruising range, number of decks, mooring methods, location of ship equipment for cargo operations, and type of propulsion.

On small rivers, passenger and automobile-passenger vessels are used.

Vessels of Project 792A were widely used at the crossings (Table 22).

The hull material is VMStZsp steel, the superstructure is D16 duralumin. The recruitment system is mixed. Sailing autonomy based on fuel reserves is 27 hours. To transport passengers on river crossings, the Northern Shipping Company has designed a shallow-draft open boat for 50 people. (pr. 2044). One way flight duration is 30 minutes.

Motor ships of projects 222B, 544, 1083 and others are also used for crossing and transporting passengers along small rivers. The ferries provide for the transportation of MAZ-200, YaAZ-200, KamAZ, ZIL-150 and other brands. Vehicles are loaded and unloaded under their own power. The carrying capacity of the ferries is from 40 to 1000 tons. Vessel type is single-deck self-propelled ferries with a superstructure and mooring station in the stern, and ramps in the bow. The material of the hull and superstructures is steel grades VStZsp2 and VStZsp4. The recruitment system is mixed. Propulsors are propellers and water jets.

The most modern is the ferry Project 81400, developed by the Novosibirsk branch of NPO Shipbuilding. The ferry is intended for small-lot transportation of wheeled and tracked vehicles on inland waterways with guaranteed depths of at least 0.8 m. Vessels of Project 81400 (see Table 22) are being built to replace ferries of Project SP40A, which are widely used in the Lena basin. To fully utilize the carrying capacity, the area of ​​the cargo deck of the ferry pr. 81400 compared to pr. SP40A was increased by 1.65 times due to the reduction in the length of the after peak and main body by 1.85 m, and the lengthening of the ship’s hull by 5.06 m. The width of the hull has been preserved, and to increase the area of ​​the cargo deck, bulwarks have been used. The side height is maintained according to the SP40A project. Design changes made it possible to increase the deck utilization factor from 0.366 on the SP40A ferry to 0.498 on the new ship. The width of the passage, limited by the distance between the vertical posts of the ramp, increased by 40% (from 3.2 to 4.5 m).

The type of vessel is a single-deck motor ship with a bow ramp, a cargo deck in the middle part, a superstructure and a mooring station in the aft part (Fig. 58). The wheelhouse is located on the superstructure. The bow of the vessel is sleigh-shaped. The flat bow contours allow the vessel to approach the unequipped shore with low angles of repose, which significantly reduced the length of the ramp. The stern part of the vessel has tunnel formations. The accepted shape of the hull contours and the ratio of the main dimensions ensure good performance of the vessel both when sailing laden and empty.

Case material - steel grade VStZsp4. The deck and sides along the entire length of the vessel, the bottom in the forepeak, forepeak and afterpeak are made using a transverse system of framing, and the bottom in the middle part is made using a longitudinal system. The ship's hull is divided into 5 compartments by impenetrable bulkheads.

The power plant includes 2 main engines of the 6ChSP12/14 brand. The source of electricity on the vessel is a diesel generator DGR16/1500, providing consumers with three-phase alternating current of 220 V.

To replace the main motor and other mechanisms, a removable sheet is provided in the nasal wall of the MO.

As a DRC, the ferry is equipped with open main propellers with balancing rudders.

The design of the ramp and pile devices is of interest. The ramp device consists of a ramp hinged to the transom, divided into two parts; two vertical shafts with counterweights placed in them; two manual winches and cable-block wiring. On serial vessels, a hydraulic drive for raising and lowering the ramp is installed. The length of the ramp is 3.5 m, the width of the roadway is 4 m. The calculated wheel load (on the car bogie) is 176 kN. Coastal slope slopes range from 5 to 20°. During flight, the ramp is fixed with an automatic stopper located in the stop. The raising and lowering of the ramp is controlled from the wheelhouse. The anchorage of the vessel is 2 Matrosov anchors. To lift the anchors, 2 ShR-6-11 manual capstans are installed on the deck in the bow. To carry out cargo operations in a current that constantly turns the vessel around and makes it difficult to keep it perpendicular to the shore, a special pile device is provided, which ensures that the ferry is held near the shore at depths of up to 4 m.

The remaining ship devices and systems are similar to those currently used on small ferries.

When it comes to ferry crossings, people first of all think about the Volga, where even now, despite the intensive construction of bridges, 20 ferry crossings still operate. Others continue to function even next to stationary bridges. For example, in Nizhny Novgorod, where you can get to the village of Bor on the left bank via a road bridge, a cable car, or a regular river ferry.
Back in 2014, during the Korabela expedition to shipbuilding enterprises, we accidentally ended up in the small village of Krasnoe-on-Volga. And at the same time we took a ride on the car ferry "SP-72" of Project 774, built in 1968. It was difficult to talk about the economics of transportation on a 45-year-old ferry, but we talked about the difficulties of operation with the crew of the SP-72. Of course, it is more expensive to maintain an old ship in working order - this is an axiom. And such a “dinosaur,” even a well-groomed one, looks archaic on the river.

Ferries of Project 603 with modifications developed by the Gorky Central Design Bureau and small river ferries of Project 774 were the most popular in the USSR. The first ones were built at the Volgograd Shipyard in the 60-70s of the last century, the 774th at the Chistopol Shipyard. Until now, these ships are working on crossings in the North, Central Russia, and Western Siberia.

Ferry "SP-28" project 603A. Source: Wikipedia

In general, in those years in the Soviet Union a lot of ferries were built according to completely different projects. For example, sea ferries, Project 618M, were built by the Kanonersky Shipyard, which delivered 9 ships from 1967 to 1973. Six of them are still in operation.

There were ferries that were built both in Ukraine and the Far East for the needs of their regions. But what all these ships have in common is that they are already approaching retirement age.

For comparison, the table shows the characteristics of the most common river ferries:

Project	774 (with one ramp)	603 (with two ramps)
Length, m	31,67	32,4
Width, m	10,77	11,9
Side height, m	1,4	3,3
Overall height, m	5,75	8,6
Maximum cargo draft, m	0,65	1,82
Loaded displacement, t	144,2	278
Passenger capacity, persons	77	Up to 350 (85 seats)
Car capacity, pcs.	4 MAZ-200 vehicles or 6 ZIL-150 vehicles	8 ZIL-150 vehicles
Speed, km/h	13	15

A number of projects

The topic of aging river ferries in Russia began to be discussed seriously back in the late 2000s. Then, at the fork in the road - either “buy used European ships” or “build your own” - the design bureau began to present updated versions of river ferries.

Ferry project RPF14 / "MIB"

Ferry project RPF14 / "MIB"

Ferry project RPF14 / "MIB"

The Marine Engineering Bureau (MIB) proposed two projects. The first, RPF14, is a cargo-passenger ferry with two ramps with a passenger capacity of 200 people. This vessel with dimensions of 40x10 meters with a draft of 2.4 meters, with the ability to operate in small ice up to 40 cm thick, is designed for use in the northern regions, primarily in the Arkhangelsk region. For reference, there are about 50 ferries and about 20 transport operators operating on the inland waterways of the region. In Arkhangelsk alone, passenger traffic reaches 1.2 million people per year. And if you look at the list of ferries, they are built in the same years - 60-70s.

Ferry project RPF15 / "MIB"

Ferry project RPF15 / "MIB"

Ferry project RPF15 / "MIB"

MIB also has a project for a small ferry RPF15 with a passenger capacity of 50 people with one ramp. The dimensions of the vessel are already more modest: 38x7 m with a maximum draft of 0.75 m. The vessel is designed to transport one truck or 11 cars.

The State Central Design Bureau of Rechflot, which in Soviet times was engaged in the design of such vessels, is now offering the customer Project 603A with some modifications.

Rostov Central Design Bureau "Stapel" proposes a project for a cargo-passenger ferry of project RDB56.01 with two ramps with a passenger capacity of 50 people. The vessel is equipped with a modern engine (in 2014 there was a MAN D2866LXE40 engine with a power of 279 kW) and ZF AT 3111 WM-FP rudder propellers. The dimensions of RDB56.01 are similar to the 603rd project. The only difference is the draft: 1.50 versus 1.82 for its predecessor.

The Nizhny Novgorod design bureau Vympel also has two projects for cargo-passenger ferries, but they are also “time-tested.” First of all, project 736A, a series of which were built at the Astrakhan Shipyard and Tyumen Shipyard in the early 60s. These are large ferries with a passenger capacity of 350 people and dimensions of 59.4 x 13.8 m with a draft of 2.36 m. They worked on large lakes, with large crossing distances and an autonomy of 10 days.
The second Vympel project is a special ferry for Sevastopol, Project 727, 45 meters long with two ramps. But we will talk about Sevastopol Bay a little later.

Table of technical characteristics of ferry projects from "MIB", State Central Design Bureau "Rechflot", Republican Central Design Bureau "Stapel" and Design Bureau "Vympel":

Project	RPF14	RPF15	R.D.B.56.01	736A
Length, m	39,6	35,7	36,5	59,4
Width, m	10,4	8,5	11,16	13,8
Side height, m	4,2	1,4	3,7	3,6
Overall height, m	15,7	12,06	19,3	12,25
Load draft max, m	2,4	0,75	1,5	2,36
Loaded displacement, t	-	-	407	977
Passenger capacity, persons	200	50	50	350
Car capacity, pcs.	2 trucks or 7 cars	1 cargo or 11 passenger cars	capacity 90 tons	20 cars
Speed, km/h	18	8	17	19

But we must immediately make a reservation that all these ferries are only concepts, preliminary designs. At best, they are technical projects.

Whereas the St. Petersburg Shipbuilding Engineering Center, formerly the Central Design Bureau of the Ministry of River Fleet of the RSFSR, offers ferry designs that are ready for construction, with a full set of design documentation, plaza-technological documentation, etc.

Petersburgers "in iron"

ICS proposes five cargo-passenger ferry projects. Two - only in the form of a concept, we will not consider them, all information is available on the KB website.

Projects that were implemented “in metal” are interesting.

The first in this series was the ferry "Anatoly Chmykhalo" of project 2967, commissioned by the administration of the city of Igarka. The ship was built at the Krasnoyarsk shipyard from 2012 to 2014. The cost of the ferry at that time was 160 million rubles, the work was financed by the regional budget.

The capacity of “Anatoly Chmykhalo” is 60 people, 8 ZIL-150 vehicles or 16 cars. The vessel's equipment is the simplest: one bow ramp, two main engines supplied by the Omsk company "Remdiesel" with a power of 2x220 kW, two shafts with a fixed propeller. Due to the fact that the possibility of crossings up to 2500 km was envisaged, the ferry has 5 cabins for the crew. The declared autonomy of the ferry is 5 days. The dimensions of the ferry with such a carrying capacity are small: 37x9 m with a loaded draft of 1.65 m.

The second ICS ferry is the Arkady Filatov, which was built by the Nevsky Plant in Shlisselburg from 2014 to 2015. The cost of the tender was already 168 million rubles. The customer of this vessel is the Lodeynopolsky Road Repair and Construction Department. The ferry operates at the crossing of the Svir in the village of Voznesenye, providing vehicular traffic along the Petrozavodsk Highway.

"Arkady Filatov" project 2967/3132 is a modification of "Anatoly Chmykhalo", already with two ramps, which ensures through passage of cars without entering or exiting in reverse. But river boaters still traditionally prefer to moor with their bows.

"Filatov" operates on a short distance - from shore to shore 400 meters, the vessel's crew is only 3 people. Therefore, the ship has only a room for heating food. There is no full galley or personal cabins on the ship.

Accordingly, passenger capacity increased to 100 people, the number of transported vehicles did not change.

Unlike Anatoly Chmykhalo, Filatov is equipped with two YaMZ engines with a power of 2x220 kW and steering gears of domestic production. Moreover, both the main engine and the propulsion complex, according to the captain of the Arkady Filatov Andrey Smyachenko, have proven themselves to be the best. The power of the Yaroslavl engines is more than enough, there are no questions about reliability - there have been no breakdowns in a year and a half of operation.

The steering gear also exceeded the crew's expectations; it shifts quickly and easily. The optimal shape of the vessel's hull with an icebreaker stem completes this picture. "The ferry is controlled perfectly, even in icy conditions"- the captain admits.

You can name some other disadvantages of the vessel that the captain noted. Firstly, there is a folding ramp. “The crossing is only 400 meters, the crossing time is comparable to the time it takes us to fold and unfold the ramp.”, explains Andrey Smyachenko.

However, as told at the Shipbuilding Engineering Center, the folding ramp on the ferry is used to ensure visibility and to work on large crossings. And the time it takes to unfold the ramp on the ferry is not critical, since it is not folded completely anyway.

Secondly, due to the large area of ​​the navigation bridge (due to the closed wings), the heating system cannot cope in winter. It's cold inside. The crew solved the problem on their own by simply installing additional air heaters.

But the crew is satisfied with the boiler’s performance. All public areas and the engine room are warm.

The crew and the residents of Voznesenye themselves clearly assess the ferry project as “very successful.” Especially compared to the previous ferry pr. 603.

Employees of the Shipbuilding Engineering Center maintain constant contact with the captain, regularly go to the crossing, and collect the crew’s wishes regarding the operation of the ferry. Work in the best traditions of the Soviet past.

The Kerch ferry "Nina Malkova" pr. 3221 has already been designed for the highest RRR class - "M-SP3.5 (ice 30)A". The previous two ferries have a class "O2.0 (ice 30)A". Therefore, on the Malkova it was necessary to increase the height of the side, provide the ship with a different set of navigation and communication equipment, life-saving equipment, etc.

Like "Arkady Filatov", "Nina Malkova" has two ramps. The ferry capacity is 66 people, 16 cars or 4 long cars. The autonomy of the ferry is 5 days, there are 5 cabins for the crew, a large wardroom, and a galley.

The diesel gear unit on the Nina Malkova, like on the Chmykhalo, is produced by the Omsk Remdizel, but more powerful - 2x283 kW. The ferry is mainly equipped with domestically produced equipment - it is cheaper, and construction in the Crimean conditions leaves its mark. But as the designer states, the quality of operation of all mechanisms did not suffer from this.

But during construction, the equipment specification had to be changed for the same reasons, which delayed the construction time. Now the Fregat plant is trying to make up for lost time and plans to deliver the finished vessel in 2017.

Table of technical characteristics of ferries of the ICS project:

Project	2967 "Anatoly Chmykhalo"	2967/3132 "Arkady Filatov"	3221 "Nina Malkova"
Overall length/total length, m	40,5/37,01	40,5/37,01	40,5/37,01
Overall width / along the vertical line, m	12,16/9,07	12,16/9,07	9,9/9,07
Side height, m	3,3	3,3	3,55
Surface clearance by non-removable parts, m	8,5	8,5	-
Load draft max, m	1,65	1,69	1,73
Loaded displacement, t	357	373	393
Passenger capacity, persons	60	100	62
Car capacity, pcs.	8 cargo or 16 cars	8 cargo or 16 cars	4 long cargo or 16 cars
Speed, km/h	18	18	22

To Sevastopol

The registration class "M-SP3.5 (ice 30)A" allows the Project 3221 ferry of the "Nina Malkova" type to operate on the Russian GDP, in the coastal zones of the Baltic, Azov, and Black Seas. But there is a need for such ferries.

And you don’t have to go far from Kerch. Take, for example, Sevastopol.

Let us remind you that in September 2016, ferry service from the city center to the North side of the city stopped. As representatives of the carrier company stated, the reason for the stop was unprofitability of transportation.

Previously, two used Norwegian ferries, Admiral Lazarev and Admiral Istomin, built in 1981 and 1984, operated there. In 2012, they were bought by the Sevastopol Transport Systems company to replace three Soviet ferries of project 727 design bureau "Vympel" built in the mid-50s.

The capacity of Norwegian ships is 130 passengers and 25 cars or 4-6 trucks.

According to the latest news, the government of Sevastopol for 59 million rubles. bought from Sevastopol Transport Systems "Admiral Lazarev" and "Admiral Istomin", which should go on line in February 2017.
But again, the youngest “Norwegian” is over 32 years old. And they are unlikely to decorate a city like Sevastopol.

There are technological opportunities to build new ships, also at Crimean enterprises. There are projects for different tasks and different budgets. Moreover, the projects have already been implemented and tested.

P.S. The editors and the author express special gratitude for their assistance in preparing the material to the Shipbuilding Engineering Center and personally to the director of the ICS Mark Mikhailovich Singer and the chief designer Anatoly Mikhailovich Benenson.

On September 22, 2015, the Kerch crossing turned 61 years old. It would seem that the historical period is not so long, but the role of this transport artery in the economic development of the region is respected. And the built system in organizing the transportation of goods and passengers is admirable and is an example for the current leadership. It is important to note that during the entire period of operation of the Kerch crossing from Crimea to Caucasus there was not a single accident or accident. The high professional level of the crossing's management and the experience of the operating personnel made it possible to combine railway, road and sea transport into a single transport complex, ensuring the transportation of goods and passengers through the Kerch Strait.

The crossing team managed to build a clear labor organization system, achieve planned targets and ensure trouble-free operation in all directions and sections. I would like to note that the team of the Kerch crossing for their creative work, service to the country, people, society received the respect and love of their contemporaries and the grateful long memory of their descendants.

Mikhail Morekhodov, full member of the Petrovsky Academy of Sciences and Arts

From the history. Heyday

In the early 1950s, construction of the port of Crimea began on the northeastern outskirts of Kerch, and the port of Caucasus on the Chushka spit. Each of the ports could simultaneously receive two railway ferries. U-shaped lifts (a docking device) were installed at the berths, lowering a drawbridge with railway tracks onto the ferry.

On September 22, 1954, the Kerch ferry crossing was opened. With the help of the ferry crossing, it became possible to reduce the distance of transportation from the Ukrainian and Moldavian SSR to the regions of the Krasnodar Territory and the Caucasus by 270 km, and from the Crimea and the southern regions of Ukraine - by almost 1000 km.

It is important to note that the Kerch ferry crossing at the initial stage was subordinate to the Railway Administration of the Dnieper Railway. Later it came under the control of the USSR Ministry of the Navy. The transportation of freight and passenger trains, as well as passengers on the offshore section, was provided by Project 723 ferries (Volga type). This project was developed in the mid-1940s by TsKB-51 (currently LLC KB VYMPEL, Nizhny Novgorod), chief designer - A.S. Rachkov. The construction of the ferries was carried out by the Amur Shipyard, Komsomolsk-on-Amur and OJSC PA Sevmash, Severodvinsk.

On April 15, 1950, two ferries of the modernized project 723-bis were laid down. The ferries, named “Nadym” and “Zapolyarny”, were the first in a series of four ships intended to operate on the transpolar route - on railway crossings across the Yenisei in Ermakovo and across the Ob in Salekhard.

The second pair of ships – “Severny” and “Chulym” – was laid down on May 25, 1951; these two ferries were built according to project 723-u. “Nadym” and “Zapolyarny” entered the fleet on July 31, 1951, “Severny” and “Chulym” - on July 31, 1952.

In the second half of 1951, Nadym arrived in Igarka, and Zapolyarny arrived in Salekhard. “Severny” and “Chulym” did not have time to go to the transpolar highway - work on the construction of the main line was suddenly stopped, and all four ships were redirected to a new crossing in the Kerch Strait, while “Nadym” was renamed “Vostochny”, and “Chulym” - in "South".

Since the difference in water levels in the Kerch Strait is small, the car lifts were dismantled from the ferries, and instead they were used U-shaped lifts installed on the shore, which lowered a drawbridge with railway tracks onto the ferry. As a result, all four ferries were able to be loaded with both freight and passenger cars. The ferries also transported cars - the space free from wagons in the bow of the ship could accommodate several cars. Sometimes ferries operated without carriages, filling the entire deck with vehicles.

During operation at the Kerch crossing, a number of technical improvements were made above the ferries, for example, the area of ​​the upper deck was expanded, and on the Yuzhny, an additional tier of the wheelhouse was built.

A railway ferry with an open carriage deck, equipped in the bow with an 80-ton carriage lift, ensuring the reception of carriages with a lifting height with water level differences of up to 5 meters.

Technical characteristics of the ferry: – length – 90.7 m; – width – 17.7 m; – draft when fully loaded – 3.13 m; – side height – 5.1 m; – displacement – ​​3400 tons; – deadweight – 1119 tons; – speed – 9.5 knots; – power plant with capacity – 4x660 kW; – rudder propeller complex – a twin-screw vessel with a propeller propeller system; – number of railway tracks – 4 units; – number of railway cars – 32 units; – passenger capacity – 130 people; – the hull was formed from sheet steel 10 mm thick, the ships had a reinforced ice belt with a sheet thickness of up to 16 mm, which made it possible for ships of this class to operate independently in ice up to 20 cm thick; – on ships of this type there were 32 two-axle freight cars (or 16 four-axle ones). At the initial stage, each ferry was equipped with a car lift, but after modifications the car lifts were removed. This complex kept the shore-ship railway tracks at the same level when rolling cars rolled over. Four ferries of this type operated on this section: electric ships “Severny”, “Vostochny”, “Yuzhny”, “Zapolyarny”.

From the history. Decay

The vessels, which had been in operation for over 40 years, needed serious modernization. The economic and political difficulties that followed the collapse of the USSR marked the end of railway communication through the Kerch Strait.

Vostochny was the first to be decommissioned - in 1987. At the same time, the movement of passenger trains through the Kerch ferry stopped - old, worn-out ferries were considered unsafe for passenger transportation. Yuzhny and Zapolyarny were decommissioned in 1989 and 1991, respectively. The last remaining railway ferry, Severny, transported freight trains until 1996, then stood in the port of Crimea for several years, after which it was also scrapped.

Financial and economic problems following the collapse of the USSR prevented the development and construction of new ferries. For more than 10 years, the ferry transported passengers and cars only.

In 2004, with the arrival of two new ships and the reconstruction of port facilities, rail transportation of freight trains was resumed, but the volume of cargo transportation was insignificant. The operation of the Kerch crossing was carried out by two states - Ukraine and Russia. Joint management was regulated by an intergovernmental agreement.

Three small ferries were engaged in vehicle transportation and passenger transportation: Kerchensky-1, Kerchensky-2 and Yeisk. In 1975, the first car ferry, Kerch-1, was built at the Riga Shipyard for the Kerch crossing. In 1978, the second car ferry, Kerch-2, arrived at the crossing.

With the advent of car ferries, designed as icebreaker ferries, winter navigation on the Kerch Strait became easier and became year-round.

The third car ferry for the Kerch crossing, the Yeysk, was built in Riga in 1988.

The Kerch-1 ferry has ceased to participate in the crossing since the early 2000s. Projects to convert this ferry into a tug or fire vessel were discussed, but they were never implemented. In 2012, the ferry went to metal. The Kerch-2 and Yeisk car ferries continue to operate today.

Price of the moment

What is a ferry crossing? It is important to note two factors:

After the return of Crimea to Russia in March 2014, the crossing was managed by the “Unified Transport Directorate” of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation. On January 10, 2015, at the request of the government of the Republic of Crimea, a decision was made to change the operator. On behalf of the Government of Russia, from January 15 to October 1, 2015, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea was appointed responsible for the uninterrupted functioning of the Kerch ferry crossing, identifying the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Crimea as the responsible body for its work.

Marine Directorate LLC, under the control of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Crimea, organizes the supply of material and technical resources, transportation of passengers and vehicles to the Crimean Federal District.

The transport fleet, which transports trains, freight and passenger vehicles, as well as passengers, is represented by several companies; it is “mixed”, old (used), oversized and small in capacity, and is not designed to work in these conditions.

The exception is ferries for transporting freight trains. There are two ferries involved here: the Petrovsk ferry and the Annenkov ferry.

The ferry “Petrovsk” was re-equipped in 2002, “Annenkov” - in 2003.

It is important to note that at the initial stage these vessels were designed as platform vessels “Slavutich-3” and “Slavutich-6” (project D 080), built at the Kiev Shipyard and put into operation on April 21, 1984 and June 28, 1986 respectively. In 2002 and 2003, at the shipbuilding and ship repair plant "Southern Sevastopol" the ships were re-equipped and modernized as railway ferries. After re-equipment, they received a new classification KM * L4 1 IISP (rolling). A three-lane track line is installed on the deck of the ferry, which accommodates 25 cars. Each of the ferries carries out four round trips per day between the ports of Crimea and Kavkaz.

That is, the railway ferries operating on this line were specially converted to operate on this section. Particular attention was paid to the possibility of using the existing shore-ship docking system. It is also important to note that a lot of work has been done to modernize and technically re-equip the marshalling yard in the port of Kavkaz. The volume of formation of railway trains has been increased. However, the volumes of transported railway cars today are insignificant.

It should also be noted that a small reconstruction was carried out at the crossing itself (for example, the installation of floating berths in the port of Crimea and the port of Kavkaz) for mooring ferries. As for the development of the crossing infrastructure, it is in an unsightly state. First of all, it is necessary to pay attention to the issues of passenger convenience, ensuring their personal safety, and a high level of service. Here, in my opinion, there are more questions than answers.

1. The infrastructure of the Kerch ferry crossing both in the port of Crimea and in the port of Kavkaz does not meet modern requirements and does not provide passengers with a modern level of convenience.

2. Bus passenger platforms in the port of Crimea are not equipped; in the port of Kavkaz they are limited in size and are closely adjacent to the roadway. There are no necessary protective structures (from sun and rain), equipped platforms for buses, fences, benches and benches.

3. Pedestrian paths for passengers are not marked, equipped or equipped.

4. Passengers board and exit the ferry through a cargo ramp, often simultaneously with the movement of motor vehicles, which is unsafe.

5. Movement across the crossing area is chaotic, the movement of passengers and the movement of vehicles is carried out simultaneously, and is not controlled or regulated by anyone.

Today

It is important to note that the leadership of the Kerch crossing, as well as the leadership of the Council of Ministers of Crimea, apparently have no vision for its further development and preservation as a strategic object. What awaits a unique transport artery with its own history and difficult fate. Flourishing and progress or decline and disappearance. I don’t want to realize that the transport artery (ferry crossing) Crimea - Caucasus will suddenly disappear. A number of companies have managed to introduce and secure ferries on the line that transport vehicles and passengers, heavy vehicles and trains. But it is important to understand that this unique transport hub does not have a clearly structured development program, management system and support for life in the future. The role and activities of Marine Directorate LLC are short-term in organizational terms, and in matters of modernization and further development they are uncertain. I believe that such strategically important facilities should remain in the hands of the state, and its technical development and re-equipment should be carried out on the basis of scientific analysis, long-term development plans and competent technical re-equipment and further use in the interests of the state.

Here it is necessary to compare and combine two important components into a single complex:

– first – maritime transport, its technical condition, management and control system to ensure navigation safety and prevent injuries to passengers;

– second – coastal structures, their reliability and compliance with technical requirements that ensure the safe reception of vehicles, as well as modern infrastructure development for the convenience and safety of passengers.

Fleet

Let us pay attention to what Russian companies transporting goods and passengers through the Kerch Strait have at their disposal today. As we already know, on this line from Crimea to Caucasus there are two railway ferries that provide transportation of trains.

On the line Kavkaz - Kerch sea trade port, transportation of heavy vehicles is carried out by three ferries: Major Chapichev, Yeisk and Kerchensky-2. Let's consider their technical characteristics.

The ferry "Major Chapichev" is the flagship on this line.

Ferries "Kerch-2" and "Eysk"

The Kerch-2 car ferry was built in 1978, the Yeisk ferry in 1988, respectively. Shipbuilder: Riga Shipyard, Riga, Latvia. These vessels were designed and built specifically for the Kerch ferry crossing.

Power is supplied from three main engines with a power of 735 kW each. The ferry has one deck. Load capacity 240 tons. Can accommodate 215 passengers. Take on board up to 25 cars or 4 heavy vehicles or buses.

On August 15, 2014, due to an increase in the number of ferries operating on the crossing, the least capacious of them - Kerch-2 and Yeysk - were transferred to the line Kavkaz port - Kerch fishing port.

There are four ferries operating on the line from the port of Crimea to the port of Kavkaz: “Crimea”, “Protoporos IV”, “Pobeda” and “Olympia”. All of the above ferries were purchased by Russian companies from foreign shipowners and introduced into the transport system of the Kerch crossing. Let us introduce the reader to these courts in more detail.

The cargo-passenger ferry "Crimea" (formerly Ostfold) was built in 1979 at the shipyards of the Norwegian company Rosenberg Mekaniske Verksted. Since August 18, 2014 he has been working at the ferry crossing. Registered under the Russian flag. Age 36 years.

The cargo-passenger ferry "Protoporos IV" was launched in January 2010 and put into operation the same year. Shipbuilder: Koutalis & Kostergias Shipyard, Athens, Greece. Owner and operator: Evoikos IV Maritime, Eritrea, Greece. Since 2014, it has been operating on the line from Crimea to Caucasus under the flag of the Russian Federation. Age 5 years.

The cargo-passenger ferry Pobeda (formerly Protoporos VI) was built in 2012. Boatbuilder: Kyriakos Sarantis Stavros Kouris, Sourpi, Greece.

On April 27, 2015, the ferry changed its name to Pobeda and was also registered under the Russian flag. Age 3 years.

In 1989, it was acquired by VR Shipping ApS and began operating under the flag of Denmark, with its home port of Corser. It was resold several times, changing names and owners. Since July 2014, he has been working at the Kerch crossing under the flag of the Russian Federation. The ferry is currently 27 years old.

Tomorrow

Completion of construction of the Kerch crossing is scheduled for December 2018. With the commissioning of a new modern transport route, the transport characteristics of the region and its infrastructure component will radically change. The ferry crossing port Crimea - port Kavkaz (Kerch ferry) seems to fall out of the transport system of the Crimean federal district. It will not be able to compete with a more modern, more convenient and technically equipped bridge crossing - this is true and true. But it is important to remember that the Kerch crossing was, is and remains the most important strategic object of our time and plays a vital role in ensuring the security of the region.

No matter how time unfolds, no matter what problems life poses to us, we must remember that everything that was created by the hands of the people must be preserved and increased. Therefore, it is important to understand that this object must remain in the hands of the state, under its control and protection. The opportunities for using it wisely are enormous - this is the continuation of the transportation of trains. Placement of a naval base for border boats with the simultaneous organization of a traffic control post in the Kerch Strait and a pilot station. Studying the possibilities for transporting heavy vehicles from the ports of Crimea and Caucasus in the direction of the Black Sea ports, and in the future, a railway crossing (like Ilyichevsk - Varna). Develop a concept for organizing new high-speed passenger lines (Kerch - Rostov-on-Don, Kerch - Taganrog, Kerch - Anapa, Anapa - Feodosia, Yalta, Sevastopol, etc.). Consider the issue of building high-speed vessels such as “Superfoil-38” and “Olympia” at the “MORE” shipyard and using the crossing area as a base for the operation and maintenance of these vessels. Consider the construction of a marine terminal and a tourist center.

The capabilities of this object, like the object itself, are invaluable. Anything that cannot be used today must be canned and stored. And you need to treat everything with care and attention - this is a strategic object.

Sea News of Russia No. 2 (2016)