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The fourth Russian supertrawler for RFC was launched

Fleet Renewal

September 24th, 2021

Admiralty Shipyards (St. Petersburg) launched supertrawler Kapitan Martynov, which is the fourth order from a series of fishing vessels under construction in Russia for the Russian Fishery Company (RFC), which is part of FSA. The activation ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Victoria Abramchenko, who became the "godmother" of the vessel; Governor of Saint Petersburg Alexander Beglov; Head of the Federal Agency for Fishery Ilya Shestakov; Chairman of the Board of Directors of RFC Gleb Frank; heads of Russian Fishery Company and Admiralty Shipyards.

This vessel is not only one of the largest and fitted out with technologically advanced equipment, it is also a high-technology vessel with Russian innovation. In addition, it is an environmentally friendly vessel. Thanks to these technologies and reduced fuel consumption, the amount of greenhouse gas emitted per tonne of fish caught will be reduced by 2 times. The fish factory will operate using zero-waste technology and, therefore, this will help to use the World Ocean resources more prudently.

Victoria Abramchenko

Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation

The implementation of such projects became possible thanks to the decision taken by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin on the implementation of the investment quota mechanism. I would like to thank the Russian Fishery Company, and personally Gleb Sergeevich Frank, for taking active part in the implementation of this program, building such modern vessels, and I am sure that they will certainly prove effective. Thanks awfully those vessels can now operate in the fisheries of the Russian Federation.

Ilya Shestakov

Head of the Federal Agency for Fishery

We strongly believe that Russian fish should be harvested using Russian vessels. To do this, we need to build a new fleet. And this should be done as soon as possible, since in 5 years a significant part of the operating fleet will be obsolete due to age. Various mechanisms for implementing the second stage of the investment quota program, which can be used to drive further shipbuilding, are currently under discussion. However, whatever mechanisms are eventually chosen, we believe it is important that investments, which have already been provided, need to be reliably protected. We need to make the most of what has already been created by Russian fishermen and shipyards as part of the Russian fleet renewal program.

Gleb Frank

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Russian Fishery Company

The supertrawler is named after captain Martynov Viktor Nikolaevich (1954–2002), the honored veteran of the Far Eastern fishing fleet. He was brought up in a children's home, then twisted fortune with the sea, having entered the Kherson State Maritime Academy. After graduating from maritime academy in 1974, he came to Vladivostok, where he began working on fishing vessels and rose through the ranks from seaman to captain-director. On shore, he continued to work in the industry, successfully managing then the strongest fishing fleet of the Spanish-built MRKT-type vessels, which reached the peak efficiency under the management of Viktor Nikolaevich. Captain Martynov died suddenly from disease at the age of 49.

The main thing that my father taught me and my brother is human decency. He was a man with great inner strength, extremely kind and attentive to everyone – to friends, relatives, to his team, irrespective of subordinate posts. He never raised his voice, but inspired such respect those around him that one his glance was enough to listen to him unconditionally.

Gennady Martynov

Son of Viktor Nikolaevich Martynov

In total, Admiralty Shipyards will build 10 similar vessels for the Russian Fishery Company (RFC); the total investment in construction is more than 80 billion rubles. The trawlers construction project is being implemented under the state program "investment quotas", aimed at renewal of the domestic fishing fleet and increasing the efficiency of developing of valuable national biological resources. Another supertrawler – Vladimir Limanov – was built outside the program at Tersan shipyard (Turkey) and has already been put into commission.

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The supertrawlers being built for RFC are the largest and most high-technology Russian fishing vessels. Each new vessel is designed for an annual yield of 60,000 tons of fish, which is 2.5 times higher than the productivity of the vessels that today form the basis of the fishing fleet in the Far East of the Russian Federation.

The features of the new fleet will be significantly increased production capacity, maximum safety, and high environmental compatibility and improved working conditions and leisure facilities for crews. The vessels will be equipped with a modern fish factory capable of zero-waste ultra-processing of the total catch into products with high value added.

The supertrawlers of the Russian Fishery Company will be able to operate amid the most poor weather conditions that will prolong the fishing season. Fitting out with modern technological equipment will make it possible to produce high-margin types of walleye pollock and herring products on board, including a new product – surimi. This commercially successful ultra-processed product is not currently produced on board vessels in Russia.

The putting into commission of new fishing vessels and the development of walleye pollock fillet and surimi production will allow the company to significantly reduce the environmental impact. Due to fuel efficiency, the carbon footprint generated by the new fleet of RFC is the lowest among global walleye pollock harvesters.