Since August 2013 St. Mykolai sell-propelled vessel has been continuing its activity in the outer roads of Mykolayiv Commercial Sea Port.
Being built at the Romanian shipbuilding yard “Santierul Naval Constanta” (Constanta), on July 30, 2013, the floating crane came to the main transshipment terminal in Mykolayiv city. And on August 8 St. Mykolai started its operation.
The main task of St. Mykolai is to load Panamax vessels full in the roads. The process is performed in three stages: preliminary works (passage, towing, opening of holds and others), loading and final works (closing of holds, unmooring, draft survey, etc.)
At present the floating crane has already proved its efficiency. For 30 weeks of operation the floating crane has loaded 556 thousand tons of wheat, barley, corn, rapeseed and other crops from non-self-propelled vessels.
Use of own crane has already contributed to the export success of 2013/14 marketing year. Export has already comprised more than 3.6 million tons out of 5 million tons planned. These are record indices for the company!
Winter conditions and ice campaign did not influence on loading pace, as technical characteristics of the floating crane include ice class and allow to operate in small ice pieces.
St. Mykolai is the most productive transshipment floating crane in Ukraine that can replace up to 10 vessels that operate in the Ukrainian market. The crane’s daily capacity is up to 20 thousand tons that is equal to the capacity of NIBULON’s main transshipment terminal in Mykolayiv city.
The vessel was constructed within the implementation of the global project to revive navigation along Ukraine’s rivers. The company is constructing two tugs of POSS-115 project at its own shipbuilding and repair yard “NIBULON”. Further shipbuilding plans include construction of non-self-propelled vessels of NBL-91 project and series of “Volgo-Don Max” vessels.