USC says diesel electric icebreaker Viktor Chernomyrdin will undergo ice tests in spring 2019

Diesel electric icebreaker Viktor Chernomyrdin will undergo ice tests in spring 2019 with the construction to be completed before the end of 2018, Aleksey Rakhmanov, President of United Shipbuilding Corporation, told IAA PortNews. According to him, the transfer of the icebreaker from Baltiysky Zavod to Admiralteiskie Verfi, where the ship will be fitted out, was caused by a high load of Baltiysky Zavod.

The construction of 25 MW icebreaker of Project 22600 named Victor Chernomyrdin began in October 2012. Under the contract, the icebreaker was to be delivered to the customer, FSUE Rosmorport, in 2015. In April 2016, Yevgeny Zagorodny, the then Vice-President of USC for Civil Shipbuilding, told journalist that the delivery was scheduled for 2016. Then it was said that Baltiysky Zavod could deliver the icebreaker in late 2017 – early 2018.