The ceremonial keel-laying of the 18 MW icebreaker of Icebreaker7 class for FSUE Rosmorport has been held today, 16 November 2022, at Vyborg Shipyard (asset of USC). The event was broadcasted via videoconference at the Rosmorport’s booth in the framework of the 16th international exhibition Transport of Russia in Moscow, FSUE Rosmorport reports.
Line diesel-electric icebreaker of Project 21900М2 being built under the state contract will be financed by the federal budget in the framework of the national project “Transport Part of the Comprehensive Plan for Modernization and Expansion of Core Infrastructure”.
The ceremony was attended by Vasily Strugov, Deputy General Director, Fleet, FSUE Rosmorport; Aleksandr Strelnikov, Acting Director, North-West Basin Branch; Valery Savinov, Head of the Vyborg District Administration; Maksim Osipenko, Head of Vyborg Department of the Baltic Brach, Russian Maritime Register of Shipping; Aleksandr Solovyov, General Director, Vyborg Shipyard; Ilya Shcherbakov, General Director of Design Bureau “Petrobalt”.
Online participants of the event included Aleksandr Poshivai, Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation, and Sergey Pylin, General Director of Rosmorport.
When speaking at the ceremony, Aleksandr Poshivai emphasized that it will be the forth icebreaker in the series with the three icebreakers named Vladivostok, Novorossiysk and Murmansk already in operation.
The new icebreaker will be fitted with the propulsion equipment (diesel generators and pod drives) of domestic origin. The ship is intended for ensuring year-round operation of freezing seaports in the Baltic basin.
According to Sergey Pylin, three line icebreakers built by the shipyard operate successfully in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland, in the Arctic and in the Far East Region.
The new icebreaker of 18MW can operate at over 17 knots in clear water and to operate with endurance of 40 days. The ship can break through ice of up to 1.5-meter thick. It is intended for providing independent icebreaking assistance to large ships, towing of ships and other floating facilities in ice and ice-free waters, assistance to ships in distress. It can be used for fighting fires on floating facilities and other structures, ensuring efficient operation of scientific expeditions, underwater engineering works, surveying of sea bottom, conducting of rescue operations. It can be also involved in oil spill response activities, transportation of containers (up to 33 containers including 12 reefer ones) and other types of cargo on the aft deck as well as in other special operations. The ship’s helideck can accommodate Ка-32 and Мi-8 craft.
The ship’s high automation level (AUT1-ICS) and integrated computer system lets ensure it uninterrupted operation without permanent presence of the personnel in engine and control rooms. The ship can accommodate up to 35 crew members and up to 22 specialists.
PAO Vyborg Shipyard (part of state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation from 2012) is one of the largest shipbuilding companies of the North-Western Region of Russia. Since its foundation in 1948 the shipyard has built 210 different vessels, 9 offshore drilling rigs and 105 topside modules for fixed offshore platforms with total displacement of over 1.55 million tonnes. Vyborg Shipyard is also building eight fishing trawlers of Projects КМТ01 and КМТ02 under the state programme on providing quotas in return for investments in shipbuilding (for North West Fishing Consortium and for Nord Piligrim). In 2020, Vyborg Shipyard was awarded with the first military order ‒ patrol icebreaker for FSB (its delivery is scheduled for 2024).
Related links:
Vyborg Shipyard held steel-cutting ceremony for 18 MW Icebreaker 7 class vessel >>>>
Vyborg Shipyard contracted to build an 18 MW icebreaker for Rosmorport >>>>