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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Dutch Flag over Leninska Kuznia

31 July, 1999 - 00:00

The Kyiv-based Leninska Kuznia Plant has launched the dry-
cargo ship Robo International D. V. It is already known that the vessel
will be used to transport containers on various routes between the Black
and North Seas.

This was a unique order for the Kyiv shipbuilders: never
before had they had to manufacture floating devices as many as 110 meters
long. The Dutch, past masters in shipbuilding, put their trust in Ukrainian
quality and were not mistaken: the ship complies with all requirements
of Lloyds, and its cost (DM 1.2 million) is about 20% lower than in Western
dockyards. It took only an 8-month period to complete construction. Yet,
as the plant general manager Petro Bolindar believes, vessels like this
can be made even faster. The pilot project envisions the construction of
another four vessels for the Dutch side, which means the plant's workforce
is to be provided with work and wages in the near future. The example of
Leninska Kuznia is not typical of an industry in deep crisis; rather, this
is an exception to the rule. Thus it is too early to speak about a revival
of Ukrainian shipbuilding. The launching of at least one ship under the
Ukrainian flag might be a precursor to such revival, but Ukraine obviously
cannot afford this luxury today.



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