By TASS Russian news agency
“The tanker’s crew will practice qualification missions and then will start to accomplish planned combat training tasks,” the press office said.
The Vice Admiral Paromov was developed by the Zelenodolsk Design Bureau and built by the Volga Shipyard in Nizhny Novgorod in the Volga area. It is the lead ship of project 03182. The tanker can supply surface ships with cargo of various types. It can be also used as a patrol or a rescue vessel. The tanker’s design allows it to operate in the Arctic. The tanker has a full displacement of 3,500 tons, a length of 78.8 meters, a width of 15.4 meters, and a draft of 5 meters.
The Russian Defense Ministry ordered four Project 03182 tankers. The construction of the Vice Admiral Paromov vessel started on September 1, 2016. In March 2017, the shipyard laid down another tanker of the same project, i.e. the Vasily Nikitin. Another two vessels of the type will be built by the Vostochnaya Verf Shipyard.
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Naval News comments:
The Russian Defense Ministry contracted four small tankers of project 03182 in 2014-2015. The first two vessels are being built in Nizhny Novgorod for the Black Sea fleet. Another two are under construction in Vladivostok for the Pacific fleet. The Vice Admiral Paromov lead tanker was laid on September 1, 2016.
The ships can carry out a broad range of missions. They transport liquid and dry cargo and passengers. They can pump fuel and oil to ships in open sea and load major cargoes in barrels, boxes, and containers. The tanker can withdraw any garbage from a warship, as well as liquid waste, including oil polluted water. It can ensure transport operations in seaports.
The new tanker can independently patrol navigation areas which are dangerous because of bad weather. It can engage in rescue duties in fishing areas, offshore oil and gas deposits and enjoy air support, as it has a helipad for Ka-27 in the stern. The tanker can carry several drones for reconnaissance in a radius of several dozen or hundreds of kilometers depending on the model.
In an emergency, the tanker can rescue distressed seafarers. It can heave off a vessel, pump out water and tow it to a nearby port. The tanker has pumps and water jets to extinguish fire.
Project 03182 ships can operate in any latitude, including northern ones. They can operate in Arctic seas in 0.6-0.8-meter thick ice. They can sail the Northern Sea Route and participate in Arctic scientific expeditions.
