Russian Navy’s New Arctic Tug Capsizes and Sinks at St. Petersburg Shipyard
Hey, have you heard about the recent incident involving the Russian Navy? A brand-new Arctic military tugboat named Kapitan Ushakov actually capsized and sank right at the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg before it even entered service. Let me walk you through what happened and why it matters.
The Kapitan Ushakov was supposed to be a significant addition to Russia’s naval capabilities, especially for their operations in the Arctic. This tugboat belongs to the Project 23470 class, which is designed for a range of tough tasks — from towing ships and offshore structures to performing search-and-rescue missions and firefighting, even handling ice conditions up to Arc4 class. It’s about 70 meters long, weighs over 3,000 tons, and was equipped with modern features including a helipad.
Construction began back in 2017 at the Yaroslavl Shipbuilding Plant on the Volga River. After being launched in June 2022, the tug was moved to the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg for final outfitting. The plan was for it to join the Northern Fleet by late 2024, based in Severomorsk, to support naval bases on the Kola Peninsula and operations along the Northern Sea Route.
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However, on the evening of August 8, while still docked and undergoing final preparations, the tug started to list sharply to starboard. Despite efforts by shipyard crews and emergency teams throughout the night, they were unable to prevent the vessel from capsizing. By the morning of August 9, the Kapitan Ushakov had fully sunk alongside the pier.
Investigations quickly got underway. Early reports from the Russian Investigative Committee indicate that flooding began in the auxiliary machinery compartment, which caused the critical tilt. Authorities are now looking into whether safety regulations or construction protocols were violated during the final outfitting phase.
Thankfully, there were no casualties since the vessel was still in port and largely unmanned. But the damage is serious. The flooding of essential machinery and most onboard compartments means the tug will likely need extensive repairs — possibly taking years before it can sail again, if at all.
This incident is more than just an unfortunate accident. The loss of a nearly completed ship before commissioning raises concerns about quality control and oversight in Russian shipbuilding, especially for such strategically important Arctic vessels. Experts have pointed out that by the time a ship reaches this stage, flooding should be manageable and contained, making this failure particularly troubling.
Moreover, the Kapitan Ushakov was expected to be a crucial asset in Russia’s efforts to maintain a military presence in the Arctic, an increasingly contested and sensitive region. Losing it now could weaken their operational support in these harsh environments.
So, while no one was hurt, the sinking of this new tugboat highlights deeper issues in construction safety and naval readiness. It’s a costly setback for the Russian Navy and a reminder that even advanced ships can be vulnerable if procedures aren’t properly followed. We’ll have to watch and see how this affects Russia’s Arctic ambitions moving forward.
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