The first Deputy Director General of JSC “PO “Sevmash”, Head of Production Management Department, Mr. Mikhail Budnichenko, reported about the objectives, facing the staff of shipbuilders.

– Mikhail Anatolyevich, the last months of the year are expected to be very intensive for the staff of the shipyard … Please, tell us about Sevmash’s fulfillment of major production programs.

– The most important news is already known to all – last Friday the mass media reported about yet another successful launch of Bulava missile from onboard the nuclear submarine Yuri Dolgoruky. This is a very good sign meaning that the ship trials are close to the final straight. Our purpose is to deliver Dolgoruky this December, then we will get an excellent prospect to switch to the serial production of nuclear submarines of Borey project . Though we are now working in this direction. The trials of Alexander Nevsky are under way, Vladimir Monomakh is at a good stage of completion. Besides, the lead ship of Yasen project, Severodvinsk, has shown good performance during the sea trials.

– But the state defense order is not signed so far. Won’t that affect the fulfillment of the Sevmash defense program?

– No, it will not. Nowadays the negotiations and finalizations with the Ministry of Defense are going not as fast as we would like these to be. And the military can quite be understood: they want to know, what the funds will be spent on. From our side we are willing to provide them with any information. However I am sure we are on the right way and the state defense order will be signed without detriment to the shipyard. Today the State Armament Program attaches great importance to Sevmash. And nobody changed the number of combat submarines, which are to be built by our shipbuilders, or the dates when they are to be delivered to the Navy. And those, who think differently, are, to put it mildly, wrong.

– For the recent years the Severodvinsk shipbuilders have created not only the military products, but also the civil products, they have taken part in the military technical cooperation contracts. Do you believe that these lines should be developed further?

– I do. Let us begin with the military technical cooperation. The refitting of the aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy is successfully going forward to the logical completion. And though we have, at the consent of our Indian partners, put off the beginning of the sea trials from November to May, I am sure that the deadline for the ship delivery – December 2012 – will remain unchanged.

The Off-shore Ice-Resistant Fixed Platform Prirazlomnaya is already on-site in the Pechora Sea; they have recently finished placing the protective berm there, and now the commissioning is under way. The mooring tests have begun with the second ocean-going yacht; we assume that under its own power it will leave for the customer in June of next year. The shipyard’s specialists are in active negotiations for the tankers, hopefully, they will end in success. The shipyard have been for more than one year working on a promising project of making the transportation casks for storage of the spent nuclear fuel. Packing and Storage Casks with Sevmash logotype were appreciated by both domestic and foreign partners. A new contract for production of 116 casks is in a stage of signature. Before the end of the year our mechanical and metallurgical workshops will among other things get a good workload in the line of interplant cooperation.

– Mikhail Anatolyevich, people have a lot of other questions as well. In the workshops they say that after delivery of the submarines, aircraft carrier, Prirazlomnaya Platform Sevmash will have no work anymore…

– We will not be in dry dock. First of all, we will be building serial nuclear submarines. In March 2012 we will start working on construction of two diesel-electric submarines for the Russian Navy. The pre-contract negotiations are now under way, as early as in January we will start the production preparation. Admit, that this is a good additional workload.

And one more thing. The principal enterprise for construction of diesel submarines for export - the Leningrad Admiralty Enterprise - is overloaded with the Russian and export orders. The only other enterprise in Russia, that is able to build diesel-electric submarines, is Sevmash. Therefore Rosoboronexport together with our shipyard are negotiating with the potential foreign customers for the construction of a diesel-electric submarine, project no. 636, at Sevmash. The Severodvinsk shipbuilders gave a good account of themselves when building such submarines in the past, that is why I think, we are ready to implement such contracts. Diesel-electric submarines will definitely be built at our place. For this we are preparing workshop no. 42.

– And what about civil shipbuilding?

– It is quite a promising project to build ice-breakers. The Ministry of Transport and the Consolidated Shipbuilding Corporation realize that it is Sevmash that should build diesel 16 and 25 mW ice-breakers. Our enterprise as well as Zvyozdochka and the Baltic shipyard are the main players on the field. This opinion is shared by the President of the Consolidated Shipbuilding Corporation, Roman Trotsenko.

Now about nuclear ice-breakers. The Central Design Bureau “Iceberg” have developed the technical project for a 60mW ice-breaker subject to Sevmash’s production capabilities in particular. I believe that there is no other enterprise in Russia where such ships could be built. At our shipyard only. I assume in the middle of next year a full speed will be given to the “ice-breakers project”.

Together with the Central Design Bureau ME “Rubin” we are jointly elaborating the design of the so-called “bully transfer platform”. It will be designed akin to “MOSS”. On the platform there will be located the helicopter deck and accommodation modules only, where people can relax or wait out a stress of weather. Rubin have won the tender in Gazprom for the pilot project development. Sevmash and Rubin will be implementing the subject. Our technological capabilities and experience, gained by the shipbuilders during the construction of the off-shore platforms Prirazlomnaya and MOSS, will for sure enable to carry out this project with success.

– People are also concerned about the future of social sphere at the enterprise.

– I think there is no reason for concern. The collective agreement was signed and came into force in September; it will be effective for three years. All the social provisions remain in force. The top management have taken into consideration all the suggestions of the trade union and labour collective, in respect of the social protection. Nowadays the negotiations are held with the trade union about increase of salary. This issue will be settled in the nearest future. The objective we are faced with is to retain the social sphere. The settle of losses in the social sphere is under control of the Deputy Director General for Commerce, Alexandr Zmiyevsky. However, even now I can say for sure: nothing will be sold, no reduction of staff is planned either.

– At all times the housing problem has been in the highlight...

– This is the case today as well. You know, during the visit of the Prime Minister of Russia, Vladimir Putin, to Sevmash in December last year this acute problem was also touched upon. And recently we have had a meeting under the leadership of Director General, Andrey Dyachkov. Now the housing problem is entrusted to an experienced manager, Deputy Director General, Sergey Mardarovsky. In accordance with an assignment from the top management of the United Shipbuilding Corporation a working group was created, which is engaged in preparation of a long-term housing program.

Finally, I would like to mention once again: our primary objective is to provide work to all the staff at the shipyard and to retain it and to enhance it pursuant to those tasks, which I told you about in this short interview.

Interview by

Oleg KOROTKOV

Interview is published in the newspaper Korabel no. 85 of 01.11.2011