Fincantieri to build radioactive waste vessel

Fincantieri has signed a contract with Rosatom, the Russian Body for Atomic Energy, for the construction of a vessel to transport irradiated fuel and radioactive waste from the dismantling of Russian nuclear submarines. The ship will be constructed at the Italian shipbuilder?s Liguria yards and is scheduled for delivery in spring 2011.

The 70 million Euro order, placed on the basis of a highly innovative design developed by Fincantieri, will be financed with funds allocated by Italy?s Ministry for the Economic Development, whose intervention was regarded as crucial for the Italian shipbuilding company to close the deal successfully.

The newbuilding will be built under the supervision of the Russian Naval Registry in accordance with the latest international standards for the transport of containers carrying spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. The waste produced by yards and naval bases will be shipped to the relevant ports and then transferred, by railway, to treatment and stocking sites.

This multi-function ship will be 84 metres long, 14 metres wide, have a draught of 4.05 metres, a 720-ton cargo capacity, deadweight of 1,700 tonnes and a cruising speed of 12 knots.