Russia commits to building Black Sea naval shipyards

Russia has announced plans to develop shipbuilding and repair centres on the Black Sea; a move that comes shortly after the announcement by Moscow of a programme to invest USD43 billion in naval and marine development and procurement during the next 20 years.

Russian commercial and military marine industrial facilities are concentrated at present in the north, north-west, and far east of the country; mainly under the aegis of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC).

The Black Sea shipbuilding facilities of the Soviet era were located in what is now Ukraine, and, therefore, were left outside Russia's borders following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia has since been partly reliant on Ukraine's naval industrial output.

The announcement of the development of a Russian Black Sea industrial complex was made by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin at a meeting of the Black Sea Fleet on 18 January.

IHS Jane's understands that at least two facilities are planned; a shipbuilding yard and a repair and maintenance facility, with Bovorossiysk (the base of the Black Sea Fleet) the most plausible location.