Yantar Shipyard to Build World's First Skew-Going Icebreaker
26.04.2012
Text: Press service of JSC Yantar Shipyard
Photo: arctic-info.ru
Metal cutting for a unique innovative icebreaker started on Apr 24 at JSC Yantar Shipyard (affiliate of United Shipbuilding Corporation).
Orderer of the Project R-70202 multi-functional salvage ship is Russia's Federal Marine and River Transport Agency (Rosmorrechflot); the contract was signed on Oct 6, 2011.
The world's first skew-going icebreaker will be jointly constructed by Russian and Finnish shipbuilders. The vessel will be laid down on July 6, 2012 at Yantar Shipyard. Construction will be finished by Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Oy, the Finnish yard with Russian capital (50% shares are held by United Shipbuilding Corporation).
According to the contract, Yantar is to build the hull and install some onboard mechanisms and systems. In March 2013, the hull will be towed to Helsinki for the 9-month long outfitting. Expectedly, the icebreaker would be delivered in Dec 2013.
The new icebreaker is designed for oil spill response and salvage operations. Her unique feature is "skew" design with asymmetric hull and three rudder propellers which makes possible to work at forward and backward courses as well as at sideward motion to escort vessels through ice. The concept of a skew-going icebreaker was developed late in 90's by Finnish company Aker Arctic Technology. The ship will be equipped with special facilities for oil spill response, fire extinguishing, and ecological monitoring; capable to break one-meter thick flat ice and make a 50-meter wide canal at "skew" mode. The ship's length is 76.4 meters; beam is 20.5 meters; full speed is 14 knots; overall power of three diesel generators is 7.5 mW.
JSC Yantar Shipyard (Kaliningrad, Russia) was established on July 8, 1945 on the basis of Koenigsberg shipyards F. Schichau. It is specialized in construction of light and intermediate tonnage vessels for military and civil purposes, as well as ship repair works. Through the 66-year long history, the yard has built 154 warships and over 500 civil vessels. Currently, Yantar's majority shareholder is Russian Government represented by United Shipbuilding Corporation.