"Morye" shipbuilding company

In 2013 Feodosia shipbuilding company "Morye" celebrated its 75th anniversary on the 5th of October. The company is a shipyard that specializes in production of high-speed dynamically supported vessels (hydrofoils, hovercrafts, vessels with air-cavities) planing boats, pleasure yachts and boats with hull made of aluminum-magnesium alloy. The company, which was the biggest in the Ukraine in its field, returned to Russian jurisdication following the annexation of Crimea in March 2014.

In 1938 the government of the USSR issued the decree on establishment of the "Yuzhnaya Tochka" plant (FSC "Morye" at present). During the World War 2 the plant was entirely destroyed. The plant restoration began 11 days later after Feodosia had been freed from fascists. People were faced with great difficulties: there were no tools, materials, and electrical energy. Women and youngsters were those who restored the plant. In 1947 the main profile of the plant was determined to be the production of high-speed vessels and ships of light alloys.

In the 40s-50s from the plant building berths over 200 torpedo boats "Komsomolets" were launched. Beginning from 1959 FSA "Morye" builds passenger hydrofoils "Raketa", displacement 27.09 tons, passenger capacity 58 persons, speed - 31 knots (58 km/h). Since 1959 through to 1976 the company built 389 "Rakets", including 32 for export.

In 1956 a torpedo hydrofoil "project 184" was built; displacement 34 tons, she could reach the speed of 63 knots (116 km/h). In 1960 two torpedo hydrofoils "project 125" were built, displacement 56 tons, speed 56 knots, armament: two torpedo tubes, two gun mounts of 23mm caliber and 2 bomb releases. In 1963-1966 FSA built a high-speed patrol boat "project 125A", displacement 64.7t, speed of 55 knots. In 1965-1980 the company built sea-going hydrofoils "Kometa", displacement - 80t, passenger capacity - 118, speed - 33 knots (60km/h). Totally there were built 86 "Komets" including 34 to be exported. Since 1969 till the present day police patrol boats "Grif" are being built by the company.

Since 1970 the company began hovercrafts manufacturing. In 70s-80sthe landing assault hovercrafts "Scat", landing hovercrafts "Omar" and "Calmar", landing assault hovercrafts "Kasatka" and trawler hovercraft were transferred to the Navy . In 1976 the company started construction of the river-going hydrofoil "Voskhod-2" which came to replace the ageing "Raketa" hydrofoils. The "Voskhod-2" can take aboard 71 passengers, gains the speed of 32 knots (60 km/h). Since 1976 through 1992 there were built 156 hydrofoils "Voskhod-2". Since 1992 till 2002 the company was building the sea-going hydrofoils "Voskhod-2M".

Application of high technologies many of which were adopted from the aircraft building, made it possible to start manufacturing the state-of-the-art ships. In 70s-80s the company built the fast patrol hydrofoils "Antares". The displacement is 220t, the maximum speed is 60 knots, cruising speed is 50 knots. Armament - one 76 mm caliber gun mount, one of 30 mm and two torpedo-tubes. The cruising range at a speed of 50 knots is 410 miles.

Since the 1980s the company built the small submarine chaser hydrofoil "Sokol". The full displacement is 500t, the maximum speed is 60 knots, cruising speed is 50-55 knots. Armament - one 76 mm caliber gun mount, one - of 30 mm, anti-aircraft "Igla-1" launcher and two torpedo-tubes. The cruising range is about of 1200 miles.

From the mid-1980s the company built the air cushion landing craft of amphibious type "Zubr". She has a displacement of 550t, full speed of 60 knots. Armament - two 30 mm caliber AK-630M gun mounts, two 140 mm caliber rocket launchers MC-227, two portable missile launchers "Igla". "Zubr" hovercraft can take aboard 150 tons of freight or 500 men of landing force.

In 1986 the sea-going gas turbine hydrofoil "Cyclone" was launched. The vessel has the displacement of 142t, takes aboard 250 passengers, who can make themselves comfortable on two decks. The maximum speed is 42 knots; the cruising range is 300 miles.

The Zubr class vessels are the world’s largest air-cushioned landing craft. In 2009, Ukraine and China signed an agreement on the supply of four Bizon air-cushioned landing craft (Ukrainian version of the Zubr class ship of the Soviet Project 12322). Two vessels had been delivered to China, and another two were to be built in China with the participation of Ukrainian specialists, according to the contract.

The Morye shipyard that designed the Zubr vessels is a Russian plant, so the task is to fulfill this contract signed between Ukraine and China. Rosoboronexport deputy CEO Igor Sevastyanov told reporters on 03 July 2015 at the International Maritime Defence Show (IMDS-2015) in St. Petersburg. "The Morye shipyard that designed these Zubr vessels is a Russian plant, so, naturally, the task is to fulfill this contract — the contract that had been signed between Ukraine and the People’s Republic of China," Sevastyanov said.