Floating docks (History)
Introduction
The PD-50 (in Russian ПД-50) project 7454, together with the PD-41[1] was the largest Russian floating dry dock and one of the largest in the world. In November 2018, the dock sank after a power outage while containing the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov.
History
The dock was built in Sweden in 1980 by Götaverken AB") for the Soviet Navy and serves the Russian Navy for the maintenance and repair of its largest warships. The dock was last stationed at Repair Shipyard No. 82 in Rosljakowo in Murmansk Oblast.[2][3].
In 2010, the dock was removed from the Navy inventory and has since been privately operated by Repair Yard No. 82.[4] Shipyard no. 82 belongs Since 2013, the Russian oil company Rosneft, which there is a base for the construction of oil platforms, wants to establish.[5].
Construction
In March 1978, the Götaverken Arendal shipyard in Gothenburg, Sweden, received a contract for the construction of the world's largest floating dry dock for the Soviet Union.[8] Although the company had mainly built tankers and bulk carriers, it was seeking new orders after demand for one of its main products decreased following the oil crisis of 1973. The dry dock tender was one of the attempts to diversify the company's portfolio. orders.[9] With an agreed delivery time of 18 months from the signing of the contract.[8] Work was divided between two shipyards to speed up construction: Götaverken Arendal would build five of the seven sections, while nearby Eriksbergs Mekaniska Verkstad would commission the remaining two parts, and the sections would be joined afloat using underwater welding.[10] The floating dock was named PD-50 (Russian: PD-50); "PD" is short for "Plavuchiy Dok" (Russian: Плавучий док; literally "floating dock").
In August 1979, the nearly completed PD-50 was towed to the open sea for testing. During the final test, which involved finding out how quickly the submerged dock could be ballasted, two ballast water tanks partially collapsed due to low pressure. The floating drydock was hastily towed to Arendal with dents visible in the skin. Shipyard workers rushed to fix the damage. Repairs were completed in early September and PD-50 was delivered to the customer.[8][9][10].