The «Olympia» is a Project 14600 hydrofoil sea vessel carrying more than two hundred passengers, designed by the Central Design Bureau for Hydrofoil Ships named after R. E. Alexeyev). [2] A small series of four vessels was built at the Feodosia production association «More» starting in 1993; the lead ship operated on the Tallinn — Helsinki line. [1]
The last large series
The «Olympia» became the last major sea-going project of the classical school: a vessel for more than two hundred passengers, designed still within the Soviet tradition but built already under new conditions. The series was limited to four hulls. [1]
The lead ship worked the Baltic Tallinn — Helsinki line — one of the busiest sea routes in the region, where a hydrofoil's speed gave it a real advantage over the ferry. [1]
The project outlived its series: in 2024 the R. E. Alekseev Central Hydrofoil Design Bureau was completing development of the upgraded sea-going vessel «Olympia-230M» for 230–250 passengers, for routes up to a thousand kilometers long; release was planned for 2025. [2]
Sources
- spkfleet.ru — The «Olympia» vessel (archive)
- strategy.nobl.ru — Nizhny Novgorod's Central Hydrofoil Design Bureau completes development of the sea-going vessel «Olympia-230M» (archive)