Arctech lays the keel for the new icebreaking offshore vessel – the first in a series of four vessels
Building the hull of the icebreaking multipurpose supply vessel for Sovcomflot, Russia’s largest shipping company, started today at the Arctech Helsinki shipyard with a festive keel laying, Arctech says. The vessel is the first of four icebreaking sister ships Sovcomflot has ordered.
The vessel’s first block, which was placed in the building dock, weighs 221 tons. It is the starting point of the hull assembly. The vessel will be capable of breaking through ice even as thick as 1.5 meters. The vessel will be outfitted for emergency evacuation, rescue and fire fighting operations, oil spill response and platform support activities. Once delivered, the vessel will serve in the Sakhalin-2 region energy production sites by transporting supplies and people between land bases and production platforms and protecting the production platforms from the impact of ice in the Sea of Okhotsk. Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. (SEIC) operates the oil and gas field.
“Arctech has successfully built many similar kind of vessels for use in the rough weather conditions of the Sakhalin area. The series of vessels currently being built and designed at Arctech will further secure the energy production in the area,” says Esko Mustamäki, Managing Director of Arctech Helsinki Shipyard.
The vessel will be equipped with advanced Nordic environmental technology, such as a catalytic converter exhaust system and solutions for limiting underwater noise levels. The vessel will increase capacity for oil spill response, as well as emergency evacuation in the demanding conditions of the Sakhalin area. The vessel will be able to safely transport deck cargo, loose cargo and liquid cargo in the integrated tanks below deck, and take production platform crew members as passengers regardless of weather and ice conditions. The vessel fulfills the demanding criteria set by SEIC and has accommodation quarters for 70 people – 28 crew members and 42 specialized staff members. The new icebreaking offshore vessel measures 100 m in length and 21.7 m in breadth. The vessel will be delivered to the client in the summer of 2016.
Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Inc. specializes in arctic shipbuilding technology, e.g. building icebreakers and other arctic offshore and special vessels. The shipyard is a forerunner in developing and applying technological innovations and has 150 years’ experience in shipbuilding. Arctech employs approximately 550 shipbuilders.
