It's no secret that boats have been built in Russia since time immemorial. In the 12th century, Russian shipbuilders mastered the construction of deck ships, and the first organized shipyards appeared in the 15th century. On June 29, 1667, the Russian state ordered the construction of a warship for the first time. Since last year, this day has been celebrated as a professional holiday for specialists in the shipbuilding industry - the Day of the Shipbuilder.
In accordance with the decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, in the summer of 1667, construction began on the frigate "Eagle" - the first Russian sailing ship of the Western European type. Construction was carried out in the village of Dedinovo near Kolomna. Logging was carried out right there, and iron was supplied by Tula and Kashira. The construction was supervised by Russian craftsmen with the assistance of an invited Dutchman. Less than a year later, the frigate "Eagle" was launched, and in the spring of 1669 it went to the duty station in Astrakhan.
"Eagle" became the first and far from the last ship of domestic construction. By the beginning of the 18th century, Russian shipbuilders had built several new ships and vessels. The reforms of Peter the Great and the construction of the navy spurred the development of shipbuilding. New shipyards appeared, immediately contributing to the equipment of the fleet. New boats, ships and ships of all major classes were built at an enviable pace. By the end of the first third of the century, there were hundreds of ships and vessels in Russia.
The 18th century was the era of great victories for the Russian fleet. All the successes of the admirals and all sailors were based on the difficult but important work of shipbuilders. At the same time, sea trade developed, which also could not exist without shipbuilding. The ships mastered new designs and technologies, and also fruitfully collaborated with the creators of naval weapons.
In the 19th century, Russian shipbuilding plants began to master the construction of metal ships, and then created the first domestic steam ships. Despite the complexity of the new technologies, the shipyards tried to quickly master them, helping the military and merchant fleets. The new successes of the shipbuilders were reflected in the successes of the naval sailors. However, their creations did not always return with a victory …
The new XX century brought new challenges and challenges for shipbuilders. Independently and with someone else's help, Russian shipyards mastered the construction of ships of new classes, which soon had to take part in battles. In addition, during this period, the full-scale construction of ships of a completely new class began - submarines. The industry is once again a leader in progress.
Later in the 20th century, shipbuilders introduced a lot of new technologies and ideas. The construction of gigantic warships and merchant ships of various classes began. Shipborne nuclear power plants appeared, which made it possible to obtain exceptional characteristics and capabilities. The importance of the industry for the armed forces and the national economy simply defied description.
The modern history of Russian shipbuilding continues the glorious centuries-old traditions. Overcoming difficulties, all enterprises in this industry continue to work and open up new horizons. Hundreds of thousands of specialists in more than a thousand organizations are engaged in scientific research, design and construction of finished ships. The industry's performance is once again a source of pride.
