Vyborg Shipyard (VSZ) on August 20, held a steel-cutting ceremony for two blocks of the first of two sea-going icebreakers, the shipyard press service reported. The contract is executed a month ahead of schedule.
State Customer is the Federal Agency of Sea and River Transport, developer - Rosmorport.
A keel-laying of the first icebreaker at Vyborg Shipyard has been slated for mid-October. The shipbuilder plans to commence steel-cutting for the second icebreaker in 2013.
The 21900M project icebreaker, a double-decked vessel of unlimited navigation area, has a helipad and is equipped with twin controllable-pitch screws, twin rudders and bow thruster. Ship’s general characteristics: displacement - about 10,000 tons, length overall - 116 m, breadth - 26.5 m. The icebreaker will be able to cut channels through ice of up to 1.5 meters in thickness. The ships will be utilized for escort of large-tonnage cargo vessels, towing, fire fighting on floating structures and other facilities, for salvage of stricken ships and transportation of cargo. The two newbuilds are scheduled for delivery in May and October 2015. The 21900M project vessels will be operating in the Baltic.
Vyborg Shipyard (OJSC Vyborg Shipbuilding Plant) is a largest shipbuilding firm in Russia’s North-West region specializing in building drilling rigs for offshore deposits development and vessels of small and medium tonnage.