The delivery of unique equipment for the largest dry dock in Russia under construction at the Zvezda shipbuilding complex has been completed in the town of Bolshoy Kamen in Primorsky Kray in the Russian Far East.
According to Rosneft, the floating bulkhead is a huge structure 114 m long and 12 m high. It was delivered by sea on board of a 180 m long semi-submersible special purpose vessel. The berthing and mooring to the finishing quay of Zvezda took 16 hours.
The mounting of the floating bulkhead is scheduled for July 2020. The structure will separate the chamber of the dock, the bottom of which is located below water level, from the water area.
The working principle of the floating bulkhead is as follows: after the vessel has been assembled the dry dock is filled with sea water. When the water level in the dock is level with the outside basin, the floating bulkhead is moved aside opening the entrance. After that, the vessel is taken out of the dock.