LLC Baltic Shipyard today, October 10, 2012, hosted an official keel-laying ceremony for the 25MW diesel-electric icebreaker of new generation of Project 22.600. The vessel was ordered by Rosmorport, PortNews correspondent reports from the ceremony.
Rosmorport plans to utilize the icebreaker for independent escort of ships, auxiliary icebreaker operation as part of ice convoy along the Northern Sea Route as well as for independent ship escort in shallow waters of the Arctic seas and in river estuaries, supporting cargo unloading on coast ice, towage of ships and other floating facilities in ice conditions and on clear water, assistance to ships, emergency and rescue operations in ice and on clear water, expeditionary voyages, acting as fire-fighting ship for fire extinguishing on board of ships, drilling and oil production facilities. The vessel is scheduled for completion in November 2015.
This is the first icebreaker keel-laying over the past six years: the last time this class icebreaker, the St. Petersburg, was laid down in 2006. The LK-25 icebreaker has become the first newbuilding order since state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation took over the enterprise. The contract worth RUB 7.25 billion was signed in December 2011 in the presence of the then Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
The Project 22600 icebreaker LK-25 developed in 2008 will replace two outdated icebreakers the Ermak and the Kapitan Sorokin (Year Built: 1974, 1977).
General characteristics:
Length: 142 m
Breadth: 29 m
Depth: 16.2 m
Maximum draught: 9.50 m
Full displacement: 22,130 t
Gross tonnage: approx. 20450
Main DG power output: 4х8700 KW
Crew: 38
Specialized personnel: 90
St. Petersburg-based Baltic Plant-Shipbuilding LLC (Baltic Shipyard) is one of the largest shipbuilding enterprises in Russia. The shipyard specializes in the construction of diesel and nuclear-powered icebreakers, ice-class vessels, heavy lift vessels and warships. Baltic Plant-Shipbuilding Ltd. is a legal entity formed in December 2011 to take over newbuilds orderbook and workforce from Baltic Shipyard, which was at the time facing insolvency.