Vyborg Shipyard starts building 16MW icebreaker of Project 21900M
Vyborg Shipyard on December 26, laid keel of the hull of yet another vessel in a package of three 16MW sea-going diesel-powered icebreakers (icebreaker operator - Rosmorport) of Project 21900M, the shipbuilding firm said.
Currently, Vyborg Shipyard and Finland’s Arctech Helsinki Shipyard (as a subcontractor) are executing jointly a turn-key contract for two icebreakers of the project.
"We have long been working with the Finnish shipyard, and I am sure that we will, in conjunction with it, successfully and in time complete the construction of the icebreaker. Actually, the work distribution is as follows: the general contract was placed with Vyborg Shipyard. We are responsible for virtually all purchases, technical project development, and fabrication of about half of all hull blocks. Then the finished blocks will be shipped to Finland, where possibly, with the assistance of the Vyborg workers, the hulls will be formed from the blocks. The same yard will execute outfitting, pre-commissioning and sea trials," said Vyborg Shipyard CEO Alexander Soloviev.
Technical project was developed by CDB BaltSudoProekt - FSUE State Scientific Center Krylovskiy.
United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) and Vyborg Shipyard (VSZ) on February 23, 2012 signed contracts for 16MW diesel-powered icebreakers of Project 21900M. The total contract value is about 8 billion rubles. The first serial icebreaker of Project 21900M was laid down at the shipyard on October 17.
Icebreaker of Project 21900M, a continuation of Project 21900, is a double-decked vessel of unlimited navigation area, has a helipad and is equipped with twin controllable-pitch screws, twin rudders and bow thruster. Icebreaker's propulsion system has rated power of 17MW.
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 in the 1.5-m-thick ice. 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 series icebreakers are also intended for transportation of containers on the upper deck, including reefer containers. 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, VSZ) 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.