The city-forming enterprise "Bay" (Kerch, Republic of Crimea) is a large factory for the manufacture and repair of ships and swimming equipment of various classes. Located on the shore of the Kerch Bay, it is important for the economy of the region. The list of its products includes both civilian and military vessels.
Characteristic
The shipyard Zaliv has a good strategic location at the junction of the Black and Azov Seas in the zone of heavy shipping. Many trade routes pass through the Kerch Strait, so the company receives many contracts for repair work.
Due to the topography and wind rose, the inner water area of the Kerch Shipbuilding Plant (KSZ) is reliably protected from strong winds blowing from the east. The plant is located in a deep natural bay, additionally protected by artificial dams. The total area is over 260 hectares, which makes the company one of the largest in Eastern Europe.
History of the Bay Factory in Kerch
In the mid-30s, the Soviet leadership ordered the establishment and production of ships in the port of Kerch. The order was signed in May 1934, and construction was completed in 1938. Initially, torpedo boats, minesweepers, tugboats, fishing trawlers were assembled on the slipways of the plant.
During the heroic defense of Kerch in World War II, the city was almost wiped off the face of the earth. Production sites were also in ruins. However, after the liberation of the peninsula, the city-forming enterprise was restored as soon as possible.
Peaceful time
The national economy was in dire need of ships for the delivery of building materials, equipment, and industrial products. Therefore, the first post-war order was the manufacture of nine barges for dry cargo vessels of the 114-bis series, capable of carrying up to 250 tons of payload each. A little later, work began on the assembly of fishing vessels of various displacement (150-500 tons).
At the same time, production was restored and expanded. An embankment was built for the completion of the ships, a pipe-mediation and a mechanical workshop, a new slipway, and the buildings of the workshops were equipped with complex mechanized lines. Powerful cranes with a loading capacity up to 80 tons became a great help.
From barges to supertankers
In the 60s, with the development of new hydrocarbon deposits, the Zaliv plant in Kerch was given the task of developing a high-tech type of product - oil tankers with a deadweight of 1,500 tons. Since 1968, the production of giant tankers began, some of them had a displacement of 22,000 tons. To assemble such a vessel, it was necessary to separately produce stern and bow, then lower it into the water and finally dock afloat.
In the same year, the largest assembly slipway workshop of the enterprise was commissioned, with six 80-ton cranes and two 320-ton cranes operating, which greatly expanded the capacity of the KSZ. The assembly of supertankers of the Crimea series, with a displacement of 182,000 tons, began on new slipways. A total of 6 units were commissioned. According to the current management of the Zaliv plant, this experience allows us to assemble large warships at the enterprise, including aircraft carriers.
From the 80s to the present day
After a major environmental disaster triggered by the collapse of the supertanker off the coast of the United States, the production of double-bottom tankers began around the world. In Kerch, one of the first in the world to master the assembly of safer medium tonnage vessels with a deadweight of 65,000 tons.
The production of warships was gradually adjusted. Between 1970 and 1992, 15 patrol ships of the 1135 and 11351 series were commissioned at the Zaliv plant (Kerch). Today, patrol guards of the new generation of project 22160, with reduced radar signature, were laid on the slipways. Since 2016, work has been ongoing on the development of rocket-artillery multipurpose vessels of the 22800 series.
With Ukraine gaining independence, the enterprise experienced economic difficulties. Own production declined. Instead of finished products, they were engaged in welding bodies for third-party customers, mainly foreign ones.
In 2000, KSZ was privatized and acquired new owners. This allowed to “warm up” the production. In 2004, the volume of work increased by 10%, and capacity increased by 35%. At the same time, the plant remained in debt. In 2005, a controlling stake was bought by the British company Fort Asset Management. A year later, the owner changed again. In 2011, factory workers for the Norwegian partners built the ship Polarcus Adira.
Sevmorput
The staff of the Zaliv factory in Kerch was involved in the manufacture of the unique Sevmorput ship, combining the functions of an icebreaker and a lighter carrier (container ship). The ship was specially created for the delivery of various cargoes in waterproof holds (lighters) in the harsh conditions of the North along the routes in the Arctic Ocean.
The ship with a displacement of 62,000 tons and a length of 260 meters is the largest in its class. Given that there may be problems with fuel replenishment in this region, the designers proposed a bold solution - to equip the Northern Sea Route with an atomic turbine, which at the peak of power produces over 39,000 horsepower. This is one of four non-military ships equipped with a nuclear engine.
Products
From 1960 to the present day, the shipyard in Kerch has mastered the production of the following types of boats:
- Fishing boats.
- Frontier armored boats.
- Frigates.
- Small missile boats.
- Patrol ships.
- Tankers.
- Supertankers.
- Rescue tugs.
- Barges.
- Drilling rigs.
- Atomic lighter carrier.
- A ship for nuclear and radiation safety.
- Multipurpose river container ships.
- Coastal vessel.
- Search and rescue.
- Hydrological ship.
- Separate cases by third-party orders.
Today the Zaliv plant (Kerch) is a dynamically developing enterprise. In addition to military boats, high-speed passenger ships of the A145 series, tankers, scientific and special vessels are assembled here.