Pella Shipyard Presented Rescue Ship with "Bester" Submersible at Army-2018

The ship is capable to search, examine and lift underwater objects, maintain life activity of crews of the damaged submarines, including grounded ones, save submariners and provide decompression for 40 men.


Shipbuilders emphasize the rescuer’s versatility and the capability to be used in diving and emergency rescue works, towage, firefighting and ship lifting support.

The length of the rescue ship designed by Pella is 86 meters, beam is 18 meters, extreme draft is 6 meters, full-load displacement is 4,800 tons. Operational range is 6,000 nautical miles, endurance is 60 days, max speed is 15 knots. The ship’s crew is 36 men, plus up to 40 passengers.

The propulsion plant includes 3 x 2,700-W main diesel generators, two orbit-roll steering columns with 3,200-kW propulsion motors and 2 x 750-kW lateral thrusters.

According to designers, Project 02981E was developed, among other tasks, as a submarine salvage system, an additional to the currently available ones. The ship is equipped with the Project 18270 Bester deep-sea rescue submersible, as well as standalone and remotely-controlled underwater robots.

For reference

In 2019, the Russian Defense Ministry will decide upon construction of a new series of salvage ships for submarine crews rescue missions. This was told to Mil.Press Today on May 5 by Yury Borisov, the then deputy defense minister (currently vice premier). As for him, the Russian Navy will receive ships of this class in addition to available Project 21300 Igor Belousov rescuers.

Early in March 2018, the reporters of Mil.Press Today found out that Yantar and Pella shipyards had all potentials to build submarine rescuers.


The Army-2018 International Military & Technical Forum is held in August 21-26 at the Patriot Congress & Expo Center, Alabino Range, and Kubinka Airbase near Moscow. As for the Russian Defense Ministry, the event is attended by 1,500+ companies that present over 20,000 products.