“Nibulon” is ready to build vessels for underwater demining

“Nibulon” calls to protect the Kyiv HPP and ensure the safety of shipping on the external roadways of the Danube ports from mine threats.

This was stated by Mykhailo Rizak, director of interaction with authorities of “Nibulon”.

The 4th International Sustainability Forum 2024 conference discussed the threat of drifting mines from Belarus to the Kyiv HPP, blocking the work of the external raid for Danube ports opened last year due to mining and its impact on the work of the Ukrainian “grain corridor”.

Mykhailo Rizak emphasized that the company has developed a practical plan of action, which requires, following the example of surface demining, the involvement of various parties: authorities, international partners and financial institutions.

This is a plan for building the potential for ensuring the scanning of GNP in water areas and further underwater demining of the most critical for the functioning of the economy of the sections of the Dnipro, Southern Bug and Danube rivers, as well as the Black Sea.

“The formation of public and private potential for underwater demining should remove the threat of undermining the Kyiv HPP with a likely subsequent domino effect along the Dnieper, which could lead to an ecological disaster,” noted the Director of Interaction with Authorities of Nibulon.

It will also enable the implementation of the technology that was widely used on the E-40 international inland waterway (the Dnipro and Southern Bug rivers) – loading from aboard a “river-sea” class vessel onto a large-tonnage Panamax class vessel on the Danube thanks to external raid protection.

His work will enhance the potential of an alternative export channel to deep-sea Black Sea ports, reduce logistics costs for exports, and improve purchase prices for agricultural producers. In addition, it will make it possible to protect the Ukrainian “grain corridor” from the mine threat and make its operation more predictable.

The company emphasized that it is now necessary to find a solution to the problem of underwater demining. Ukraine also has production facilities capable of ensuring its implementation.

Thus, “Nibulon Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Plant” LLC has developed a multifunctional platform of the DSNS25 project for underwater demining, which fully meets the needs of specialized services.

“For example, only the structure of the State Emergency Service needs 15 such vessels, which makes up the plant’s two-year production program. This project will also help to preserve the shipbuilding industry of Ukraine. It is necessary to find sources of funding and start taking action,” stressed Mykhailo Rizak.