RS class: Stepan Makarov starts the series
An icebreaking supply vessel Stepan Makarov, pr. 71024 for production platforms has been constructed to the class of Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS). On 15 June 2017, the naming ceremony took place at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard (being a part of United Shipbuilding Corporation/USC).
The vessel was constructed to order of PAIO “Sovcomflot” (SCF) for the Sakhalin-2 project. Class notation: КМ (*) Icebreaker6 AUT-1 OMBO FF3WS DYNPOS-2 ANTI-ICE ECO Winterization(-35) Passenger ship Supply vessel Oil recovery ship. The vessel was named after the Russian admiral and a Polar explorer Stepan Osipovich Makarov. He was directly involved in the design and construction of Yermak, the world’s first Arctic icebreaker.
This is one of four ships being ordered by Sovkomflot for operation within Sakhalin-2 project. One more ship commissioned by SCF for this project, an icebreaking supply vessel Gennadiy Nevelskoy, has already been delivered and arrived at Sakhalin Island in April 2017.
The main tasks of the vessel are to ensure the safety of the personnel on the offshore oil and gas production platforms of Sakhalin Energy in the Sea of Okhotsk, to respond to emergency spills at sea and to support the company's operations within its technical capabilities. Ice class (Icebreaker6) and equipment designed for operation at low temperatures (up to – 35 C°) will enable to effectively operate the ship the year round. Stepan Makarov will be operated under the flag of the Russian Federation and St. Petersburg will be the port registry.
At present 3000 ice ships are classed by the RS, 34 icebreakers are among them. Technical support of the projects for the construction of hi-tech ships for operation in the regions with adverse climatic conditions, especially in the areas of marine oil and gas production at the Arctic shelf is one of the RS focal area. 125 ships among 170 ships being constructed under the RS survey are the ice class ships.
