Sevmash

The construction of the enterprise had its origins in the first Soviet 5-year plan when the decision was made to significantly expand shipbuilding capacity. The building of what became SEVMASH began in 1936. The shipyard was developed in accordance with resolution of the Council of Labour and Defence under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR on May 31, 1936 №137-OK for the construction and repair of large warships of different classes. as part of Stalin's industrialization program and a forced labor camp, part of gulag archipelago, was responsible for the initial construction of its facilities along the left bank of the Nikolskiy Estuary at the mouth of the Severnaya Dvina River. The official establishment date is 21 December 1939, when the hull of its first ship, the battleship Sovetskaya Belorussiya was laid down. The enterprise was known in Soviet times as Shipyard Number 402 (Russian: Завод № 402). During World War II, the shipyard was involved in repairing warships and producing turret artillery units and mine-sweeping equipment. Also during the war years the enterprise built large mine hunters, destroyers, diesel-electric submarines, ferries, lighters, floating repair barges, while repairing both Northern Fleet surface ships as well as vessels delivering supplies via the Arctic Convoys. By 1950 the shipyard had repaired 139 ships and vessels. In the early 1950s, large-scale production of submarines was launched. In 1969, the company produced world's first nuclear submarine with a titanium alloy hull, Project 661. In the mid-1970s, its facilities underwent major reconstruction; its industrial capacity was doubled and it had Russia's largest covered slipway installed. The Typhoon class nuclear submarine cruiser Project 941, built in 1981, entered the Guinness World Records as the world's biggest submarine. During its history as of 2009, the company had built 45 surface ships and 163 submarines, including 128 nuclear submarines.

Enterprise names

2 December 1938 - The director's Directorate of the under construction Shipyard 402 was organized on the order of the USSR Peoples' Commissar for Defense Industry

9 September 1959 - Shipyard 402 transformed into the Northern Machinebuilding Enterprise (SEVMASH) by order of the USSR Minister of Shipbuilding

26 July 1985 - The Northern Machinebuilding Enterprise was transformed into the Production Conglomerate "Northern Machinebuilding Enterprise" (PO SEVMASH) by order of the USSR Minister of Shipbuilding

23 June 1998 - PO SEVMASH was renamed State Unitary Enterprise "PO SEVMASH" (GUP "SEVMASH") by order of the RF Economic Ministry

21 February 2001 - GUP "SEVMASH" renamed Federal State Unitary Enterprise ""PO SEVMASH" (FGUP "PO SEVMASH") by order of the Russian Shipbuilding Agency

Military production

The shipyard's main specialization is manufacturing of ships, submarines and military equipment for the Russian Navy. Sevmash is the only shipyard in Russia producing nuclear submarines. Severodvinsk, the lead vessel of the Yasen-class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines, was completed in 2010 and commissioned in 2013. The second Borei-class submarine Aleksandr Nevskiy was launched later in 2010 and delivered to the Navy on 23 December 2013, becoming the 130th nuclear-powered submarine produced by Sevmash. The Yasen-class submarine Kazan (commissioned May 2021) and the Borei-class Vladimir Monomakh (commissioned December 2014) were built at the shipyard. In 2003–2005, Sevmash delivered two Project 636 (Kilo class) diesel-electric submarines to foreign customers. As of 2009, the company had an order for a further two Project 636 vessels.

Under a contract for Rosoboronexport, Sevmash conducted repair and modification work on the former Soviet heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Gorshkov, transforming it into a modern aircraft carrier named INS Vikramaditya for the Indian Navy. The project had been hit by delays and increasing costs, and was finally completed in November 2013.

Civilian production

An increasingly important product line for the shipyard is production for oil and gas fields projects on the Arctic shelf, including oil platforms. The Prirazlomnaya ice-resistant stationary platform designed by the Rubin Marine Equipment Design Bureau and built at the shipyard is the first of its kind in Russia. It is due to start operations in the Pechora Sea. Sevmash has also delivered platforms for foreign companies, such as the marine semi-submerged MOSS CS-50 platform for the Norwegian Moss Mosvold Platforms AS company, which was finished in February 2006. Sevmash has received orders for 3 further platforms of this type. Sevmash is also building a platform for the mid-Barents Sea Shtokman gas field.

The enterprise is also engaged in commercial shipbuilding, and has during the last decade built over 100 vessels, including sea and harbor tugs, mini-bulkers, pontoons, barges and fish farms. It also produces metallurgical equipment and rail transportation items.