The operation to place Kursk into the dock is delayed due to problems with the pontoons designed by Mammoet and built at shipyard Sevmash in Severodvinsk, the deputy commander of the Northern Fleet, Vice Admiral Anatoly Smolyakov, said. He went on saying that the Mammoet design had some technical faults.

The specialists concluded that the pontoon’s lifting capacity is not sufficient to keep the required draft of the barge and the submarine. It is decided to apply four extra pontoons from the Northern Fleet rescue team, to provide additional floatability.

Two small pontoons will be fastened to the big Severodvinsk pontoons, increasing the lifting capacity with 800,000 tonnes.

The assembling of the pontoon system with the barge has started today. According to Mr. Smolyakov, this operation will be completed by the weekend. During the weekend Kursk will be placed in the dock of Roslyakovo shipyard.