Russian Multi-Purpose Salvage Vessels


Russian Multi-Purpose Salvage Vessels are group of three classes of ships - MPSV06, MPSV07 and MPSV12. The class of MPSV06 ships are the biggest ones but all the classes are relatively large rescuer and salvage vessels.

MPSV06

MPSV06 class vessels are a series of three icebreaking salvage vessels, one of which is being built in Russia and two that have been ordered from the German shipbuilder Nordic Yards Wismar.
The first vessel of the class, tentatively named Spasatel Petr Gruzinskiy, was reportedly laid down at Amur Shipbuilding Plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia, already in 2010, but the construction was later suspended. In December 2018, it was reported that the United Shipbuilding Corporation would complete the unfinished third vessel which reportedly has a technical readiness of about 40%. In February 2020, Amur Shipbuilding Plant was reportedly "ahead of schedule" and the vessel, now named Kerchenskiy Proliv, would be launched in May.
The second and third vessels, Beringov Proliv and Murman, were laid down in November 2013 at Nordic Yards and launched in September 2014. Both ships were delivered on December 2015.
The ice class of the vessels, assigned by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, is Icebreaker6. They will have two large cranes, for salvage, and a landing platform for helicopters. They will be capable of operating remotely operated underwater vehicles, and will have decompression facilities sufficient to support a team of deep divers.

MPSV07

MPSV07 class vessels are a series of four icebreaking salvage vessels, which were delivered between 2012 and 2015. The lead vessels of Project MPSV07, Spasatel Karaev, was put into operation on 25 October 2012; the second ship, Spasatel Kavdeikin – on 19 July 2013, the third Ship, Spasatel Zaborshchikov – on 17 December 2013. The fourth ship, Spasatel Demidov, was ordered later separately and therefore was commissioned two years later than the 3rd ship - on 4 December 2015. The vessels are 73m long and deadweight at maximum draft is approximately 1,171t. The vessels has a sea endurance of 20 days. The vessels are equipped with machinery to investigate the sea bed and damaged objects lying in depths of up to 1,000m. MPSV07 class can also perform underwater diving operations to depths as low as 300m.

MPSV12

MPSV12 class vessels are a series of four icebreaking salvage vessels, which are to be delivered between 2017 and 2018. This class of vessels are bigger than MPSV07 class of vessels but smaller than MPSV06 class vessels. The vessels are about 80m long and deadweight at maximum draft is approximately 1,820t. The first two ships were laid down on 2 June 2015. The 3rd and 4th ships were laid down on 11 March 2016. The latter vessels were named after Russian rivers, the Beisug and the Piltun.

Operational history

The Spasatel Demidov was called upon to control a fire aboard two liquified natural gas tankers, in the Sea of Azov, on January 21, 2019. Despite throwing water on both the ships, fire continued for three to five days or more.

List of Russian Multi-Purpose Salvage Vessels

NameClassNumberBuilderCommissionedHome portStatus
Spasatel KarevMPSV07701Nevsky Shipyard2012NovorossiyskActive
Spasatel KavdeykinMPSV07702Nevsky Shipyard2013MurmanskActive
Spasatel ZaborschikovMPSV07703Nevsky Shipyard2013VladivostokActive
Spasatel DemidovMPSV07704Nevsky Shipyard2015NovorossiyskActive
Kerchtnsky Proliv,
ex. Spasatel Petr Gruzinskiy		MPSV06360Amur Shipbuilding PlantConstruction suspended
Beringov ProlivMPSV06217Nordic Yards Wismar2015SakhalinActive
MurmanMPSV06218Nordic Yards Wismar2015MurmanskActive
BakhtemirMPSV121201Nevsky Shipyard2019AstrakhanActive
KalasMPSV121202Nevsky Shipyard2019KorsakovActive
BeisugMPSV121203Nevsky Shipyard2018NovorossiyskActive
PiltunMPSV121204Nevsky Shipyard2018Petropavlovsk-KamchatskyActive