RS Class: Best Ships of 2014

The ships built in 2014 under the survey of Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) are highly estimated by the experts of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA). The significant ships of 2014 lists published by the institution include three RS-classed ships: the Velikiy Novgorod LNG carrier, the Berkarar ro-ro passenger ship and the Baltika multipurpose icebreaking emergency rescue ship.

The Berkarar is the first of the two ferries constructed by the oldest Uljanik shipbuilding company (Pula) for the State Service of Maritime and River Transportation of Turkmenistan. RS class notation: ??? R1 AUT1 HELIDECK RO-RO Passenger ship. Thirty double and four single cabins, as well as 170 folding seats allow comfortable transportation of approximately 200 passengers. Two enclosed decks can accommodate up to 54 heavy (up to 17m) vehicles. The ferry is equipped with a helideck and is able to sail at up to 18 knots. The ferry will be operated in the Caspian Sea. The ship's design takes into account modern environmental safety requirements.

The Velikiy Novgorod is the lead ship in a series of ultra-modern LNG carriers, which was built by STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co, South Korea. This Atlanticmax ship is equipped with membrane cargo tanks with total capacity of 170,000 cubic meters. Engineering solutions implemented on board the ship allow the operation of equipment at low temperatures (up to -30 °C). When building the ship, all measures were taken to ensure risk mitigation and marine environment pollution prevention. The dual-fuel diesel-electric propulsion plant allows using LNG as fuel, which can significantly reduce NOx and SOx emissions. RS class notation: KM? Ice2 AUT1 OMBO EPP ANTI-ICE LI CCO ECO-S WINTERIZATION(-30) gas carrier type 2G (methane).

The Baltika is an innovative multipurpose rescue icebreaker built under the RS survey for Rosmorrechflot Marine Rescue Service. RS class notation: KM? Icebreaker6 [1] AUT1-ICS OMBO FF3WS EPP DYNPOS-1 ECO-S HELIDECK Oil recovery ship (>60 °C)/salvage ship/tug.

The ship features a unique capability to operate effectively not only at ahead and astern running, but also at lateral movement due to a particular asymmetric hull and specific location of thrusters with a total capacity of 7.5 MW. The diesel-electric propulsion plant is equipped with three azimuth propulsion propellers: one forward and two aft propellers. In a single passage, in the lateral movement mode, the ship is capable of making a navigable channel up to 50m wide for large ships.

Participation in hi-tech shipbuilding projects is an essential part of the RS activities. RS CEO Sergey Sedov said, “The register promotes the development of high standards for safe navigation, safety of life at sea and marine environment pollution prevention. Thanks to research efforts, coordinated for over 100 years by RS Scientific and Technical Council, RS rules are always on the cutting edge of innovative engineering solutions and allow the design and building of hi-tech ships of various types and purposes taking into account the modern needs of the maritime industry”.

RINA annually publishes a list of the best ships of various types from sea cruise liners to supertankers. In 2013, it also included three RS ships: the Almetyevsk combined navigation ship, the Sibur Voronezh LNG carrier, and the Svet, a 320,000dwt VLCC.