Icebreakers of FSUE Atomflot assisted 341 ship calls in winter navigation season of 2021-22
FSUE Atomflot has summarized its preliminary results of the winter-spring navigation season. According to the company, its icebreakers assisted 341 ship calls between December 2021 and April 2022. Under the agreement with Yamal LNG JSC, Arctic LNG 2 LLC and MRTS JSC, the company made 186 ship calls as well as 68 passages to Cape Kammeny and oil terminal Arctic Gate (under agreement with Gazprom Neft PJSC). Under the agreement with Norilsk Nickel PJSC - 73 ship calls. The gross tonnage totaled 40.6 million tonnes (in December – June 2020-2021 – 40.13 million tonnes with 466 calls).
“The key event of the winter-spring navigation season is eastwards operations of the lead nuclear-powered icebreaker Arktika, - said Leonid Irlitsa, Acting General Director of FSUE Atomflot. – In early February, for the first time in the Arctic navigation history, nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 22220 escorted a convoy of ships with low ice class from the port of Pevek to the western edge of the Kara Sea. A unique experience has been obtained which confirmed high professional competence of navigators and demonstrated unique capabilities of nuclear-powered icebreaker of 22220 design.”
The ability to operate in shallow waters was confirmed by the Sibir, the first serial icebreaker. In winter navigation season, the ship effectively assisted ships in the Ob-Yenisey area of the Kara Sea.
“Debottlenecking actions of the crew of nuclear-powered icebreaker Taimyr in the water area of the Yenisey river worth mentioning, - said Leonid Irlitsa. – In May, our icebreaker is regularly deployed in works on mitigation of the flood consequences.”
As of today, the following icebreakers continue operation in the Northern Sea Route waters: 50 Let Pobedy, Sibir, Taimyr and Vaigach. The Arktika icebreaker has completed its winter navigation season and arrived in its homeport Murmansk on May 21. The 50 Let Pobedy icebreaker is expected to arrive at the berths of FSUE Atomflot in late May. The ship is to undergo scheduled repair and preparation for cruise voyages to the North Pole.
