Multipurpose vessel “Rossita” launched

The ship will be employed by the Russian company Atomflot – working under the supervision of the Authority for nuclear energy in Moscow “Rosatom” – to transport spent nuclear fuel from facilities in North West Russia (Kola Peninsula and the White Sea) to the port of Murmansk and conditioned radioactive waste to the temporary storage facility of Sayda Bay.

Scheduled for delivery in 2011, the 84 m long and 14 m wide “Rossita” embodies a double hull in the part of the ship where the cargo is held. In addition, the shield protecting the holds and the monitoring system for the whole of the area involved in transporting the cargo have been designed in accordance with strict regulations regarding nuclear safety and security. the cargo capacity amounts to 640 t. Two 130 kw main engines of type Isotta Fraschine v17162MLH care for a contractual speed of 12 knots.

The order is comprised within the framework of an agreement of cooperation drawn up in 2003 between the Russian and Italian Governments for the dismantlement of nuclear submarines dismissed from service and the safe management of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.

In addition to the dismantlement of the Russian submarines and the construction of the ship to transport the waste and material and the transport itself the project comprises three further lines of activity: improvement of the physical protection of the installations; treatment of liquid and solid radioactive waste and temporary storage; construction of containers for the transport of spent nuclear fuel and highly radioactive waste.