Languages

Putin calls on shipbuilder to speed up naval deliveries

The Admiral Grigorovich class is the latest class of frigates ordered by the Russian Navy and built by the OSC.

Russian President Vladimir criticizes the United Shipbuilding Corporation for delays in delivery of warships to the navy and appoints new head of the state-run company.

Location

At a government meeting at his Black Sea residence on Tuesday President Putin said that United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) has substantial financial, production and intellectual resources but still has failed to deliver all state orders on warships.

According to Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov the USC had failed to keep with the schedule on about 30 percent of contracts with the Defense Ministry, RIA Novosti reports. 

“Problems still remain with deadlines and the quality of implementation of orders, including defense projects. In particular, the construction of a number of nuclear submarines and surface ships and their delivery to the navy has been unjustifiably delayed,” Putin said at the meeting.

According to trade minister Maturov, the USC will hire foreign sub-contractors to help the company fulfill the delayed contracts.

The president called on Russian shipbuilders to accelerate the delivery of ships to the customer without impairing their quality. “The corporation must work smoothly, producing warships. This is one of the key tasks facing the USC’s new management,” Putin said, according to RIA Novosti. The president ordered USC’s management to submit a report by October 15 on measures to improve the situation in the industry. 

Putin announced at the meeting that Vladimir Shmakov, first deputy CEO of tank manufacturer Uralvagonzavod, has been appointed the new USC head. Shmakov said USC would focus on the state defense order to provide the navy with modern warships and submarines, building ships and equipment for offshore oil projects, and also nuclear-powered ice breakers.

The state corporation’s previous boss, Andrei Dyachkov, who had headed USC for just ten months, was reported to have resigned on May 6 after government criticism of his work and the company’s failure to meet deadlines for defense shipbuilding.

United Shipbuilding Corporation was established in 2007 and is Russia’s largest shipbuilding and ship repair company. It comprises nine design bureaus and 39 shipyards, including Sevmash and Zvezdochka in Severodvinsk.