With the onset of the freeze-up period, river fleet operations have concluded at the construction site of the Lena Bridge in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Throughout the season, approximately 20 river vessels supported the execution of technical operations in the river channel.
River logistics play a critical role in the bridge construction project. The short navigation season, strong currents, and complex hydrological conditions of the river necessitate precise work planning, the deployment of specialized equipment, and close coordination between construction teams, vessel owners, and relevant organizations.
One of the most challenging tasks involved the installation of floating cofferdams for the foundations of the bridge’s river piers. For the first time in Russia, massive structures weighing over 2,200 and 4,000 tons, were launched and towed to the designated sites for the central and right-bank pylons. The operation utilized several tugboats, including heavy-duty vessels from the Lena United River Shipping Company (LORP), the Nilov tugboat (operated by the Yakutsk shipping company), and VIS Group’s proprietary river fleet. The operation was coordinated by Morbaza, a company with extensive experience in the construction of large-scale marine and river hydraulic structures.
Operations of this sort require not only a well-coordinated fleet but also specialized riverbed preparation. This included spatial scanning of the river bottom and dredging, which involved the excavation of over 500,000 m³ of soil at the locations of the two pylons. These tasks were carried out by the Administration of the Lena Basin of Inland Waterways, a federal budgetary institution. Dredging operations have continued in other areas as well, including the zone near the pier and the slipway on the left bank, the site from which the third cofferdam will be launched next year.
The Lena Bridge is set to go down in the history of Russian bridge construction and engineering. Many of the technologies employed are being used for the first time in an Arctic climate. This large-scale project is being built under a concession agreement between VIS Group and the Government of Yakutia, utilizing non-budgetary funding. The project is part of the “Infrastructure for Life” national project, with the holding company serving as the investor, concessionaire, and general contractor.
River logistics play a critical role in the bridge construction project. The short navigation season, strong currents, and complex hydrological conditions of the river necessitate precise work planning, the deployment of specialized equipment, and close coordination between construction teams, vessel owners, and relevant organizations.
One of the most challenging tasks involved the installation of floating cofferdams for the foundations of the bridge’s river piers. For the first time in Russia, massive structures weighing over 2,200 and 4,000 tons, were launched and towed to the designated sites for the central and right-bank pylons. The operation utilized several tugboats, including heavy-duty vessels from the Lena United River Shipping Company (LORP), the Nilov tugboat (operated by the Yakutsk shipping company), and VIS Group’s proprietary river fleet. The operation was coordinated by Morbaza, a company with extensive experience in the construction of large-scale marine and river hydraulic structures.
Operations of this sort require not only a well-coordinated fleet but also specialized riverbed preparation. This included spatial scanning of the river bottom and dredging, which involved the excavation of over 500,000 m³ of soil at the locations of the two pylons. These tasks were carried out by the Administration of the Lena Basin of Inland Waterways, a federal budgetary institution. Dredging operations have continued in other areas as well, including the zone near the pier and the slipway on the left bank, the site from which the third cofferdam will be launched next year.
The Lena Bridge is set to go down in the history of Russian bridge construction and engineering. Many of the technologies employed are being used for the first time in an Arctic climate. This large-scale project is being built under a concession agreement between VIS Group and the Government of Yakutia, utilizing non-budgetary funding. The project is part of the “Infrastructure for Life” national project, with the holding company serving as the investor, concessionaire, and general contractor.
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