The UK Department of Trade and Industry sponsored the project.

The Nerpa’s chief engineer Rostislav Rimdenok told Interfax, that it was much safer to ship the retired submarines to the Nerpa than to Zvezdochka plant in Severodvinsk for dismantling as Nerpa is closer to the submarine bases. Besides, the shipyard operates the US-made “guillotine” capable to produce 73 tonnes of scrap metal per hour out of the submarine remains. Rimdenok said Victor-III was scrapped 3 months ahead of schedule.

The UK representatives were shown the empty reactor compartment, which would be shipped to Sayda bay for long-term storage. The RWE Nukem chief consultant said to Interfax, that this is the last submarine dismantled in the frames of Russian-British program, but there will be other programs before summer. It is expected that Nerpa will continue cooperation with Norway and Germany.