The foundation of Baku Shipyard was first laid in 2010 to maintain the country’s leading position in the Caspian Sea, while making sure that the fleet is complete and up-to-date in the face of intense competition. Later, on the 10th of May 2011, Baku Shipyard LLC was established as a joint venture, and its opening ceremony was held with the participation of President Ilham Aliyev in 2013. The shipyard received the status of a resident of Garadagh Industrial Park in 2015.
The construction of the shipyard is a historic event because there has never been a shipyard in Azerbaijan. During the Soviet era, there were several shipyards. We used to solve all the issues related to the purchase of ships with our foreign partners. And it is not hard to imagine how much money was spent for these purposes. However, from now on we will construct all kinds of ships that we need in our country.
Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Baku Shipyard’s work covers the construction, repair and, in general, offshore engineering of any type of ship for various purposes that meet the most modern requirements. The shipyard with a production capacity of 25,000 tonnes of metal structures per year, which has no analogues in the Caspian Sea basin, can build 4 tankers and 4 base supply vessels with a carrying capacity of 15,000 tonnes or 70,000 tonnes per year, and repair 80-100 vessels of different purposes. The production process uses modern technological means such as metal cutting, profiling, plate cutting, and 3D pipe cutting digital equipment. The plant is equipped with high-quality equipment manufactured in Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea and Singapore.
Today, the 72-hectare shipyard has seen the construction of the Azerbaijan ferry, two oil tankers Kalbajar and Lachin, a tugboat SOCAR-1 (traction capacity 50 tonnes), pontoons and top decks for the Heydar Aliyev semi-submersible drilling rig of the 6th generation, three passenger ships Üfüq, Zəfər and Turan with a capacity of 80 passengers each, and a submarine construction vessel (SCV) Khankendi.
The Khankendi SCV has an overall length of 155m, moulded breadth of 32m, and moulded depth of 13m. It has 8 main engines (6 x 4321 kW and 2 x 3452 kW) and can offer a maximum speed of 13 knots.
The Khankendi SCV is equipped with a DP3-class dynamic positioning (DP) system, which allows the vessel to uphold its position and heading through advanced positioning and control systems. The DP system also enables the vessel to work in conditions with maximum significant wave height of 3.5m. The deck is installed with a 900t main crane with a capacity to place 750t subsea structures at a maximum water depth of 600m. The two-bell diving system aboard the vessel is capable of transporting 18 personnel to conduct underwater works. The SCV’s moon pool and the state-of-the-art equipment and systems aboard allow it to perform complex deep-water subsea works.
The Khankendi SCV
The Azerbaijan ferry is 154.50 m long, 17.70 m wide and 7.5 m high. manned by a crew of 30, the ship can move at a speed of 14 knots per hour. The ship, designed for short international voyages, has a capacity of 100 passengers, as well as the transportation of T-1 size railway cars (56 tank cars, 46 semi-cars, 44 freight cars), cars and trucks (50 semi-trailers). The ship is equipped with 2 main engines with a capacity of 2,600 kW, a freight elevator with a capacity of 188 tonnes, a helipad, a side ramp, a stabilizer system, and 2 traction locomotives.
According to the ranking “Significant Ship 2021” published by the British Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), the Ro-Pax type ferry vessel Azerbaijan was included in the ranking list of the top 50 vessels of the world.
The Azerbaijan ferry
The Kalbajar oil tanker is 141 m long, 16.9 m wide and 6 m high. The ship, manned by 15 people, can move at a speed of 10 knots per hour. The tanker has 6 cargo tanks with a total capacity of 9,212 m³ for the transportation of crude oil and petroleum products. The ship, the deadweight of which is 7,875 tonnes at sea and 5,447 tonnes at river, is equipped with two 1,200 kW Wartsila engines each. The new generation tanker is planned to be used in international waters.
The Kalbajar oil tanker’s launching and sailaway ceremony
The Lachin oil tanker is 141 m long, 16.9 m wide and 6 m high. The tanker, the deadweight of which is 7,875 tonnes at sea and 5,447 tonnes at river, is equipped with two Wartsila engines with a capacity of 1,200 kW each. Manned by an 11-person crew, the ship is capable of moving at a speed of 10 knots per hour. The Lachin tanker has 6 cargo tanks, each with a total capacity of 9,190 m³, for the transportation of crude oil and petroleum products. The tanker not only provides transportation of oil and oil products in the Caspian Sea, but also the transportation of liquid cargo through the Volga-Don and Volga-Baltic channels to basins outside the Caspian Sea. The Lachin tanker was one of the top 50 civilian ships in the world, built in 2019, according to the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA).
The Lachin oil tanker
Baku Shipyard also successfully fulfils orders from other countries. In 2018, the plant successfully completed and handed over the installation of the main hull and wing tanks of 3 ships belonging to Kazmortransflot of Kazakhstan based on the order of Bue Bulkers Limited. In 2022, the reassembly of the wings (main hull’s side blocks) and legs of the lift boat NT Flagman owned by the Nurly Tolkun Company of Turkmenistan, as well as the overhaul of the drive systems and lifting cranes, were successfully completed and handed over to the customer.
Along with the above, the Baku Shipyard continues to upgrade and repair ships and platforms for various purposes. So far, 170 floating and dock repair projects have been completed at the shipyard. The shipyard has been awarded international certificates of safety and quality control (QC) standards.