Arctech secures contract for 16MW icebreaker from Russian Transportation Ministry
Arctech Helsinki Shipyard has been awarded a contract to build a 16 MW icebreaker for the Russian Ministry of Transport. The contract has been awarded together with OJCS Vyborg Shipyard. The total value of the vessel is about EUR 100 million, the Finnish shipbuilding company press release said.
The project will start immediately and the vessel will be delivered to the client in August 2015. The vessel is planned to be used in year-round operation in the Baltic Sea and in summer season in the Arctic seas. The vessel is able to operate in temperatures as cold as -40°С and the maximum icebreaking capability is 1.5 m.
The vessel belongs to series of three new buildings ordered by the Russian Ministry of Transport from Vyborg Shipyard. The basic design and purchasing of major components will be provided by Vyborg Shipyard as well as almost half of the vessels hull blocks. Arctech will be responsible of the construction, outfitting and commissioning of the vessel.
“This order is very important for Arctech Helsinki Shipyard. It gives us a good base work load for the next two years. It is also a positive continuation of the icebreaking rescue vessel, that Russian Ministry of Transport ordered a year ago, and which we are building together with Yantar Shipyard”, says Esko Mustamäki, Managing Director of Arctech Helsinki Shipyard.
“This order is undoubtedly the next step in the development of co-operation between Vyborg Shipyard and Arctech Helsinki Shipyard. In addition to this, adding one technically advanced vessel to our order books, which the 16 MW icebreaker is, allows both companies to present themselves as forerunners in building icebreaking special vessels”, says Aleksandr Solovyev, the Managing Director of Vyborg Shipyard.
The main tasks of the vessel are icebreaking and assisting of heavy-tonnage vessels in ice, towing of vessels and other floating structures in ice and open water. The vessel will also be used for fire fighting on floating objects and other facilities, assisting vessels in distress in ice and open water and also for cargo transportation.
The vessel will measure 119.8 m in length and 27.5 m in breadth. The four main diesel generator sets have the total power of 27 MW. The total propulsion power is 18 MW consisting of two full-circle azimuth thrusters.
