Finik Class (Project 872 Class) Russian Hydrographic Survey Vessels

Finik Class (Project 872 Class) Russian Hydrographic Survey Vessels are intended for navigational buoy tending and hydrographic survey duties, for which four echo-sounders are fitted. A hydrographic survey ship is a vessel designed to conduct hydrographic research and survey. Nautical charts are produced from this information to ensure safe navigation by military and civilian shipping. They also have hydrological, hydrographic, and cartographic facilities. The ships can carry up to three utility boats. The ship regularly monitors the water area around the fleet’s moorage sites, coastal assets, and military units of the Southern Military District. In 2011, Petr Gradov has carried out over 20 control raids around BSF basing sites, including those near the Caucasus Mountains. That made it possible to conduct ecological monitoring of the aquatic environment with mapping of pollution zones, provide ecological maintenance to the fleet’s combat training activities, and collect data for environmental audits according to Russia’s international commitments.