A number of investment projects to build and lease out on privileged conditions helicopters, airplanes, inland and sea-going vessels have been included into the list of self-sustainable projects to be granted repayable funding from Russia’s National Welfare Fund. An order to this effect has been signed by RF Premier Mikhail Mishustin.
One of these projects envisages construction of 260 vessels at Russian shipyards including 119 cargo ships, 73 passenger ships, 10 fishing vessels, 27 dredging units, one floating dock, 5 large-tonnage vessels, 5 tugboats and 2o barges during 2023-2027. Russian shipyards are to receive form orders in H1 2023.
The annual interest rate for passenger and cruise vessels will make 2.93%, that for dredging and fishing vessels will be 4.51%, and that for cargo and large-tonnage vessels will be 7.6%. The National Welfare Fund is to invest 136 bn rubles ($1.9 bn), or about 60% of the total project cost.
The issue was discussed at the meeting of the RF Government on February 16. “We will be expanding the production of Russian made serial new generation vessels and aircraft and decreasing the dependence on foreign made models strengthening our technology sovereignty,” the Government press office quotes Mishustin as saying.