Rosmorport to approve design for modernization of two icebreakers to meet cruise tasks

The icebreakers’ service life is to be extended by 15 years

Having undergone modernization, two icebreakers of Rosmorport, Kapitan Khlebnikov and Kapitan Dranitsin, will probably turn into a basis for cruise shipping in the Arctic and in the Far East, IAA PortNews correspondent cites Vasily Strugov, Deputy General Director, Fleet, Rosmorport, as saying at the Neva 2023 exhibition in Saint-Petersburg.

According to the speaker, the company’s fleet of icebreakers currently numbers 33 units of various power and age with most of ships built in Finland in late 70s – early 80s. Two icebreakers are being decommissioned.

“Construction of new ships is a problem, mainly due to the shipyards’ work load, so the company  is set to extend the life of icebreakers and use them both for cadets’ practice (year-round practice on the Kapitan Khlebnikov is planned) and for organization of cruises,” said Vasily Strugov.

Two icebreakers built in Finland in 1977-1981, the Kapitan Khlebnikov and the Kapitan Dranitsyn, are in the spotlight. They are supposed to be converted into cruise ships. By the way, two other ships in the series have been upgraded with the enhancement of ice-breaking capacity although with the loss of performance in ice-free water.

An impetus has been given to the project by the successful experience of the recent 15 years on involvement of the Kapitan Khlebnikov and the Kapitan Dranitsyn icebreakers for expeditionary and personnel transportation purposes in the Arctic and Antarctica in the summer season.

“Structurally, the ship can accommodate 120 passengers each but the existing cabins are not designed for tourists,” explained Vasily Strugov.

It is proposed to perform the modernization of so that to extend their service life by 15 years and to convert them into passenger ships for organization of cruises in the White Sea, in the Eastern Arctic and in the Far East. According to the speaker, these vessels can be used in the summer season for organization of two 30-day long voyages: from Murmansk and from Vladivostok (according to their ports of registration), with calls to the Far East and Arctic ports.

Although the plan is exciting, one of the main problems is insufficient infrastructure, first of all, that of berths: “Zodiac boats can be used to deliver passengers to the shore, which is the usual practice for expedition voyages.

The crucial issue, however, is the modernization of ships. First of all, they need modernization of cabins with the quality standard probably based on the accommodation standards of the Victor Chernomyrdin icebreaker, Vasily Strugov believes.

“By today, the vessels have been re-equipped to meet Icebreaker 7 class, taking into account the requirements of environmental safety. Of course, the cabins will be renewed. The modernization design has been drafted already and the fourth quarter of this year we probably see the completion of the technical project for obtaining allocations to finance the modernization,” summarized Vasily Strugov.