Vladimir Nikitin: «Arctic demands an array of breakthrough technologies»

Director General of the Krylov State Research Centre Vladimir Nikitin shared his views with IAA PortNews on the prospects of transport logistics infrastructure development in the Russian Federation Arctic zone regarding the shipbuilding industry.

- Vladimir Semenovich please explain us the difference between the design of ships for Arctic and other design projects?

- Operation on the Continental Shelf of freezing Arctic seas calls for development of high-tech and unique vessels and marine structures.  In this context, special emphasis should be given to both groups of ships and floaters – those required for development of offshore fields and transportation logistics in Arctic region. Given the fact that there are practically no marine technical facilities in the world that could operate in harsh environment of the Russian Arctic, these technologies need to be developed for special requirements and should be based on in-depth and large-scale R&D, as well as fundamentally new ship designs supported by production engineering efforts at shipyards.      Development of these unique products is among the main priorities of the Russian shipbuilding science and industry.

Recognizing the importance of these challenges the Krylov State Research Centre has been providing research & engineering leadership and support to design, construction and operation of ships and marine structures for many years.  The Centre has accumulated a wealth of R&D potential with an emphasis on import substitution.

- What are the first priority tasks facing Russian designers in this segment of shipbuilding industry?

- Considering new scales of the tasks in design and construction of high-performance ships and offshore structures for Arctic applications it is necessary to come up with a range of radically new (critical)  technologies in development and operation of these platforms. Therefore, the scientific and engineering subprograms of the state program «Development of shipbuilding and offshore facilities for 2013-2030» are aimed at generation of innovative arctic shipbuilding technologies.

These subprograms logically follow from the Federal target program (FTP) «Development of civil marine technologies» for 2009-2016 that is almost completed and therefore, we can make the first conclusions regarding its implementation.

The scope of R&Ds under this Program is closely correlated with the demands of our major customers. Primarily I mean our oil & gas companies. Usefulness and timeliness of specific projects have been confirmed by numerous enquiries of the companies.

- Six years have passed from the beginning of FTP «Development of civil marine technologies». What is the practical outcome?

-  In 2009-2014 the R&Ds performed under this FTP gave the product yield with the total value of 400 bln rubles.

However, the really substantial results of the program are yet to come. Today the world market of Arctic class vessels is quite small. The offshore industry market is lacking proven technical solutions and technologies to ensure safe and reliable operation in severe Arctic conditions. All these tasks are tackled in the frame of this FTP.

I would like to stress that it is impossible to create the new concept of competitive marine facilities without R&D efforts addressing not only general design issues but also a range of other disciplines like strength, hydrodynamics, new materials, electronics, power plants and propulsors. Also we need to develop appropriate production technologies and process equipment.

These activities will be further pursued in the state program «Development of shipbuilding and offshore facilities for 2013-2030».

Besides, under the New Concept subprogram of FTP «Development of civil marine technologies» for 2009-2016 the Krylov Centre has generated a number of conceptual design projects embracing almost the entire spectrum of high ice class vessels and offshore facilities for short- and mid-term implementation.

All together about 90 conceptual and technical designs have been delivered as the end product for the industry within the frame of FTP «Development of civil marine engineering».

- Krylov Centre took part in the design of icebreaking vessels. What projects do you think are the most promising in this segment?    

A number of icebreakers are currently being built to our designs. Project 21900М  is one of them – 3 diesel electrical icebreakers are under construction at the Vyborg shipyard. In October the first icebreaker of this series was delivered to the Customer, FSUE Rosmorport.  Today 21900М is the most powerful diesel electric icebreaker operating in the Russian Federation, she is capable to overcome 1.5-meter thick ice.  

We have made a range of research and design efforts for the new nuclear icebreaker LK-60Ya, project 22220, now under construction at Baltic Shipyard Shipbuilding Ltd. Icebreakers of this series will be fitted with electric propulsion systems designed by the Krylov Centre affiliated branch – TSNII SET.

Keeping in mind anticipated increase in the freight traffic via the Northern Sea Route and in Arctic we are working on the design of the 120 MW nuclear leader icebreaker of the new generation logically evolving from the technologies already developed for the icebreakers of the earlier generations. We have explored a trimaran option of this vessel to ensure safe pilotage of the ships up to 60 m in breadth with higher energy efficiency. This innovative technology has been patented and in our opinion it will be highly demanded with the development of Arctic hydrocarbon export systems and increased freight traffic including transit.

Furthermore, we have made a preliminary design for the multipurpose nuclear icebreaker of the offshore type. The project is based on the concept of integrated generic platform with common solutions for equipment layout, core power plant machinery and systems including electric equipment and hull. This approach will save time and cost of design activities and satisfy any requirement of the customer regarding necessary equipment to be installed.

Just recently a big delegation from FSUE Atomflot has come to witness our ice tests and once again confirmed the necessity to pursue the design efforts in this field. There is a demand for new icebreakers and it is very important to ensure uninterrupted development process to be able to satisfy new market requirements. I believe that in 2016 we should already start developing icebreakers of the new generation to make these highly demanded designs ready by the completion stage of LK-60Ya nuclear icebreaker series construction.

There is another design of our Centre that is worth to be mentioned – a unique shallow-draft Icebreaker6, capable to overcome the 1.0-1.5m thick ice at 3 m draft. It is highly demanded both in the shallow waters of Arctic and freezing Azov and Caspian seas.

- What about the cargo vessels for Arctic?

Regarding the ice-going ships the main focus is on the vessel types, which are new for our industry. First of all, heavy tonnage LNG carriers of high ice classes. The Krylov Centre has also studied the ice-going CNG carrier projects. An Arctic vessel is urgently required for operation in the spent nuclear fuel transport & disposal system of Bilibino NPS. The outcomes of concept design have been approved by Rosatom.

- What other Arctic projects have been reviewed by the Krylov Centre? We haven’t yet discussed drilling platform projects.

 The Krylov Centre has performed a large scope of R&D work on ships and systems for hydrophysical investigations. Exploratory drilling facilities are broadly studied for both shallow and deep-water applications with the main emphasis on the maximum extension of the operation window in the short-term summer navigation period; the same is true for the hydrophysical survey vessels.

I would like to draw special attention to Krylov’s conceptual design of the sea-going drillship of the high Arc7 ice class intended for efficient exploratory drilling in waters where no existing vessel could operate. We have developed a turret mooring system to allow 180° weathervaning of ship as per wind, wave and ice  environmental effects for reliable stationkeeping in ice and secure mooring. This way the drilling season in Arctic could be maximized. Import substitution options for the main process equipment have been carefully examined.

There is a great number of concept design projects executed for auxiliary and service vessels for Arctic shelf including a dozen ship types like supply vessels, derrick barges, pipelaying ships and support vessels for underwater operations etc.

There is another urgent issue on the agenda – clearing Arctic waters from radioactive military wreckage. The Krylov Centre takes active part in coping with this problem.

Interviewed by Nadegda Malysheva.