On September 1, 2021, the fleet of the FSUE "Rosmorport" Murmansk Branch was replenished with the Krasin diesel-electric icebreaker, which, in accordance with the order of FSUE "Rosmorport" No. 108 as of 30.03.2021, was transferred from the management of the Far Eastern Basin Branch of the enterprise.
According to Rosmorport’s press release, the transfer of the icebreaker to the Murmansk Branch in addition to the Kapitan Dranitsyn and Admiral Makarov icebreakers that the branch already have is aimed at optimizing the work of the icebreaker fleet of FSUE "Rosmorport" on the routes of the Northern Sea Route and in the seaports of the Arctic region.
The Krasin icebreaker is the third vessel of the R-1039 construction project (Ermak type). In total, three icebreakers of this type were built. The Admiral Makarov icebreaker, currently operated by the Murmansk Branch, also belongs to this icebreaker type.
The vessel was built in April 1976 at the Wärtsilä shipyard (Helsinki, Finland) by order of the "Sudoimport" foreign trade association. For a long time the icebreaker worked on the routes of the Northern Sea Route, in the early 90s it was transferred to the seaport of Vladivostok. In 2011, the icebreaker took part in a rescue operation in the Sea of Okhotsk to rescue vessels from ice captivity. In 2016, the icebreaker was transferred to the economic management of FSUE "Rosmorport".
The icebreaker is a four-deck vessel with a medium superstructure and a stern propulsion system.
This icebreaker type has a similarity with the first nuclear icebreaker Lenin, only slightly inferior to the last in terms of power of the propulsion system. The icebreaker has 9 diesel-electric plants with a total capacity of 30.4 MW, driving 3 propeller shafts.
At the time of construction, Yermak type icebreakers were the most powerful diesel-electric icebreakers in the world.
Icebreaker can overcome ice of 1.8 meters thickness at a speed of 4-6 knots.
Today, the Krasin icebreaker is undergoing routine repair works aimed at its preparation for 2021-2022 autumn-winter navigation season. After their completion, the Murmansk Branch plans to use icebreaker to provide icebreaking assistance for vessels in the freezing seaports of the Arctic region and on the routes of the Northern Sea Route.
The Krasin icebreaker was laid down on July 9, 1974 at the Wärtsilä shipyard (Helsinki, Finland). The construction of the vessel at number 400 was completed on April 28, 1976.
The vessel is named after the Soviet politician Leonid Borisovich Krasin, who held the posts of People's Commissar of Trade and Industry, Railways, Foreign Trade of the RSFSR and 1st People's Commissar of Foreign Trade of the USSR from year to year.
Basic technical characteristics of the Krasin diesel-electric icebreaker:
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Register class: |
КМ(*) LL2 [2] |
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Maximum length: |
134.84 m |
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Maximum width: |
26.05 m |
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Draft: |
11 m |
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Gross registered tonnage: |
14,508 |
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Cruising capacity: |
3 months (by fuel) |
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Navigation area: |
unlimited |
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Ice thickness to overcome: |
1,8 m |
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Power of the main propulsion system: |
3,383 kW |
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Total power of the power plant: |
30,451 kW |
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Rate of sailing: |
up to 19.4 knots |
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Crew: |
56 people |
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Number of passengers: |
12 people |
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Number of passenger cabins: |
10 double cabins |