W. Crichton Shipyard (Okhta)

W:m Crichton & C:o Okhta shipyard was an 1897–1913 operated shipyard in Malaya Okhta, Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire. The yard was a subsidiary of the Finnish, Turku-based shipbuilding and engineering company W:m Crichton & C:o.

Shipbuilding history in the area goes back to 1721, when Okhta was settled and the residents processed wood for shipbuilding. The first vessel was built in 1811, under supervision of a nearby institute. Since the beginning the main customer was the Russian Admiralty. By the 1860s, when steel hulls replaced wood, the yard became outdated.

The yard was underused for the following 30 years, until it was rented to the Finnish shipbuilder W:m Crichton & C:o in 1896. Crichton built a number of torpedo boats and other vessels predominantly to the Imperial Russian Navy. The work was poorly organised and the company made unprofitable deals. The losses caused by Okhta shipyard led W:m Crichton & C:o to bankruptcy, that took place in 1913.

The area went back to the state and marine industry was continued by Petrozavod company.

The yard was situated in an area where small river Okhta flows into river Neva. During the Swedish era there was a fortress called Nyenskans, "Neva fortlet". Since the establishment of Saint Petersburg, the area was serving shipbuilding; in 1712–1713 it was used for storing and drying of logs. The first large sawmills were built in 1717; they delivered wood also to the Russian Admiralty and Particular Shipyard. In 1721 the area was settled under decree of Peter the Great and carpenters were transferred from other Russian governorates. They worked for Particular Shipyard and other important shipyards and by time they fell into serfdom, until they were set free in 1803.

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