Russian shipbuilding continues to depend on foreign software, said Presidential Aide and Chairman of the Russian Maritime Board Nikolay Patrushev. This, in particular, leads to delays in the transition of domestic shipyards to modern production technologies, he said during a meeting at the St. Petersburg State Marine Technical University (SPbSTU), Interfax reports. “The digital transformation of the shipbuilding industry as a whole is proceeding slowly and is facing a number of systemic problems,” noted the former Secretary of the Russian Security Council.
Paturshev also noted that there is an “acute shortage” of qualified IT specialists in shipbuilding to implement technologies at all stages – from design to ship recycling – and young Russians refuse to work in the industry due to low salaries. “Shipbuilding, compared to the IT sector, is traditionally considered an industry with difficult working conditions and relatively low salaries. Young IT specialists prefer to work in commercial companies or startups, where salaries are much higher and working conditions are more comfortable,” complained Patrushev (The Moscow Times).
