Five Russian tugs built at the yard of Verschure& Co, Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1935

The building of the five tugs for Russia can be traced in the Dutch newspaper called Het Vaderland: staat- en letterkundig nieuwsblad and occasionally in some other papers. Sadly enough the archive of this yard for this year seemed to be lost. In the thirties of the 20th Century in the world wide crises many shipyards were closed or hardly survived that period. The yard called Verschure&Co. Scheepswerf en Machinefabriek at Amsterdam was no exception and just when her doors were to be closed she got the order for five tugs. They were built too cheap caused by the fact that the yard needed the order. Governments tried to help yards and factories with subsidies or financial guarantees. For the next details was the abovementioned newspaper used.

The former Dutch magazine Gelderland in woord en beeld edition dated 9 August 1935 published a photo of the launching of the fourth tug.

Evening edition 18 January. The yard got the order to built 5 double screw steam tugs for ocean and inland service and to be used as icebreaker. Dimensions 45 x 9 x 4 meter (hold) and 2 engines each of 300 ihp. The tugs were to be completed within 7 months. (1)

Morning edition dated 14 March. The yard asked the town council for a subsidy while the costs of building the Russian tugs was ten thousands of guilders more as they were paid by the potential owners. This was caused by a contract sum which was much to low but done with the intention to prevent closing the yard.

Daily edition dated 31 March. The town council of Amsterdam gave the yard a subsidy of fl. 40.000,00 for building the tugs. The Chamber for Commerce at Dordrecht protested by the Ministry of Home Affairs while some shipyards in her district also offered to built these tugs and visited Moscow but didn’t have a chance to get this order due to this dishonest competition.

Evening edition 23 May. Today was the first tug launched.

Daily edition dated 31 May. Amsterdam, 31 May. Today was with success the second tug launched.

Evening edition dated 18 July. According to tidings intended two of the five tugs to depart this week towards Russia. Their Russian crews all ready arrived at Amsterdam. The technical trial of the third tug was this month while the last two still on stocks were to be delivered at the end of August. All tugs have the same dimensions, technical up to date and each with 600 hp.

Evening edition 2 July. The first tug called Stalinbad returned yesterday at Amsterdam after a well succeeded trial at the North Sea. The second tug called Kijew will have a trial in the begin of next week. Coming Saturday will the third tug be launched.

Evening edition 6 July. The third tug was today with success launched.

Evening edition 9 July. The Nikolajewesk returned last evening at Amsterdam after a successful trial.

Evening edition 31 July. Amsterdam, 31 July. The fourth tug called Kijew was this morning with success launched. Her dimensions were 45 x 9 x 4meter and was to be fitted out with two triple expansion engines of 300 ihp to be built by the yard herself.

Evening edition dated 10 August the Tiflis arrived at 9 August coming back form her second trial and was now prepared for her voyage towards Russia.

Evening edition 13 August. The fifth and last tug was to be launched 15 August. The trial of the fourth tug the Kijew was presumably within 14 days.

Evening edition dated 15 August 1935. The fifth and last tug called Minsk was that with success morning launched. The third tug called Tiflis was completed and ready for departure within some days towards Russia. The Russian crew all ready arrived at Amsterdam. The fourth tug the Kijew was probably within two weeks completed and ready for her trial.

Daily edition dated 25 August. The Tiflis departed Saturday afternoon from Amsterdam towards Odessa.

Evening edition dated 3 September. Amsterdam, 3 September. The new Russian tug Kiev returned last evening from a successful trial. She would have a tow trial on the IJ 3 September and then fitted out for her voyage towards Russia. The Mink was ready for her trial next Saturday or Monday. The intention was that both ships departed the coming week together via Odessa towards Vladivostok.

Note
1. The newspaper Het nieuws van den dag voor Nederlands-Indië dated 18 January 1935 published a news item dated Amsterdam, 17 January (Aneta) that the yard with 200 employees was to be closed lacking orders when suddenly she was ordered to built 5 tugs for Russia. And the newspaper Nieuwe Tilburgsche Courant day edition dated 19 January mentioned that due to this order 450 men had work for a period of 7 months.