Dismantling of Russian Nuclear Submarines

During the meeting held in Moscow today between Italy’s Minister for the Economic Development Claudio Scajola and Sergey Kiriyenco, General Director of Rosatom, the Russian Body for Atomic Energy, Fincantieri signed a contract for the construction, at its Liguria yards, of a ship conceived for the transport of irradiated fuel and radioactive waste deriving from the dismantling of Russian nuclear submarines.

Following the commitments made by the G8 countries at the Kananaskis summit (Canada, June 2002) aiming at the reduction of possible threats by terrorists employing nuclear, chemical, radiological and biological weapons, on 5 November 2003 the Italian and Russian governments signed a cooperation agreement for the dismantling of Russian Navy condemned nuclear submarines and for the safe disposal of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel.

The agreement, ratified by the Italian Parliament (Law no. 160 of 31 July 2005), entails a financial commitment for Italy amounting to 360 million Euro spread over a 10-year period and includes projects also in others fields. Sogin (Società Gestione Impianti Nucleari), a company that manages nuclear plants, was given the task to coordinate the Italian intervention in the deal.

The 70 million Euro order, placed on account of a highly innovative design developed by Fincantieri, will be financed with funds allocated by the Ministry for the Economic Development, whose intervention was regarded as crucial for the Italian shipbuilding company to close the deal successfully.

Several parties were involved in the drawing-up of the contract, a result achieved also due to the collaboration of the Italian Navy, acting as financial advisor on behalf of the Ministry. The Federal Centre for nuclear safety, that manages all international projects for the conversion of dangerous nuclear and radioactive plants in the North Western region, acting as buyer, has placed the order for the vessel, that will join the fleet of the final user, Atomflot.

Rosatom, as the relevant body for the realization of the projects financed by the cooperation agreement, is the technical guarantor for the operation. Italy’s Ministry for the Economic Development will be the financial guarantor of the agreement.

The vessel, to be delivered in Spring 2011, will be built under the supervision of the Russian Naval Registry in accordance with the latest international standards for the transport of containers carrying spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. The waste produced by yards and naval bases will be shipped to ports and then transferred, by railway, to treatment and stocking sites.

This multi-function ship will be 84 meters long, 14 meters wide, with a full-load draft of 4.05 meters, a 720-ton cargo capacity, a 1,700 tonne deadweight and a cruising speed of 12 knots.

Fincantieri was able to win such a prestigious order thanks to its innovative and competitive projects, to the high level of technology offered, to short construction times and a remarkable experience gained in the growing market of special ships, realized both for national and foreign clients.