Vladivostok (2014 icebreaker)

Vladivostok (Russian: Владивосток) is a Russian diesel-electric icebreaker and the lead ship of Project 21900M icebreakers. She was built by Vyborg Shipyard in Russia and delivered to Rosmorport in 2015.

Vladivostok in Saint Petersburg in October 2015
History
Russia
Name: Vladivostok (Владивосток)
Namesake: Vladivostok
Owner: Rosmorport[1]
Port of registry: Saint Petersburg[2]
Ordered: 2 December 2011[3]
Builder: Vyborg Shipyard (Vyborg, Russia)
Cost: About RUB 4 billion[4]
Yard number: 230[2]
Laid down: 17 October 2012[5]
Launched: 29 April 2014[6]
Sponsored by: Elena Shchegoleva[6]
Completed: 23 September 2015[7]
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics [2]
Class and type: Project 21900M icebreaker
Tonnage:
Displacement: 14,334 t (14,108 long tons)
Length: 119.8 m (393 ft)
Beam: 27.5 m (90 ft)
Draught: 8.5 m (28 ft)
Depth: 12.40 m (41 ft)
Ice class: RMRS Icebreaker6
Installed power: 4 × Wärtsilä 12V32E (4 × 6,960 kW)
Propulsion: Diesel-electric; two Steerprop SP 110 ARC PULL azimuth thrusters (2 × 9,000 kW)
Speed:
  • 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) (open water)
  • 3.5 knots (6.5 km/h; 4.0 mph) in 1 m (3.3 ft) ice[8]
Aviation facilities: Helideck for Mi-8

Vladivostok, which represents a further development of the icebreakers Moskva and Sankt-Peterburg, has two identical sister ships: Murmansk and Novorossiysk.

Development and construction
Main article: Project 21900M icebreaker

In the 2000s, Russia began renewing the state-owned icebreaker fleet that, at the time, consisted mainly of Soviet-era vessels dating back to the 1970s and 1980s.[9] In July 2004, the Saint Petersburg-based Baltic Shipyard won an international tender for the construction of two 16-megawatt diesel-electric icebreakers for Rosmorport, a state-owned company established in 2003 to manage Russia's port infrastructure and operate its fleet of diesel-powered icebreakers.[10] These icebreakers, Moskva (delivered in 2008) and Sankt-Peterburg (2009), were the first non-nuclear icebreaker built in Russia for over three decades and the first new icebreakers ordered following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.[11]

In 2011, the Russian government decided to continue the fleet renewal within the framework of the federal program Development of the Transport System of Russia (2010–2020) with three additional 16-megawatt diesel-electric icebreakers.[9][12] The construction of the first icebreaker awarded to the non-USC-affiliated Vyborg Shipyard on 2 December 2011.[3][13] On 23 February 2012, the remaining two vessels were also contracted to Vyborg Shipyard which was acquired by the state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) to solve the shipyard's financial problems.[14][15]

The new icebreakers, referred to as Project 21900M, represent a further development of the original Project 21900 design.[9] Modifications to the original design include, among smaller general improvements, a slightly different diesel-electric power plant configuration and more efficient pulling-type propulsion units where the propeller is facing forward. While Project 21900M vessels were still sometimes referred to as "16-megawatt icebreakers",[16] their propulsion power was increased to 18 megawatts. Externally, the most apparent difference is the helideck which has been moved to the foredeck and enlarged for the bigger Mil Mi-8 helicopter.[17]

The construction of the first Project 21900M icebreaker began at Vyborg Shipyard on 20 August 2012, a month ahead of schedule,[18] and the keel laying ceremony was held on 17 October.[5] Initially, the completed hull blocks were stored in the open while the shipyard was finalizing the construction of a semi-submersible barge Atlant that would be used for hull assembly and launching of the new icebreakers.[19][20][21] The hull assembly began on 5 August 2013[22] and the vessel was launched on 29 April 2014.[6] While the ceremonial flag raising was held in Saint Petersburg already on 23 September 2015,[7] the acceptance certificate was not signed until 9 October when the icebreaker had successfully completed its sea trials.[12]

Like the preceding Project 21900 icebreakers, the new icebreakers are also named after major cities of Russia with the lead ship Vladivostok representing the largest Russian port city on the Pacific coast. Previously, the same naming scheme was also used for a series of five diesel-electric polar icebreakers built by the Finnish shipbuilder Wärtsilä in the 1960s;[23] the previous Vladivostok was in service in 1969–1992.[24]

Design

Vladivostok is 119.8 metres (393 ft) long overall and 104 metres (341 ft) between perpendiculars,[2] and has a moulded beam of 27.5 metres (90 ft).[25] Fully laden, the 14,334-tonne (14,108-long-ton) icebreaker draws 8.5 metres (28 ft) of water.[2] While her official Russian Maritime Register of Shipping ice class is Icebreaker6,[2] Vladivostok's hull and propulsion units are strengthened to meet the requirements for Icebreaker7, a higher ice class intended for icebreaking operations in the Arctic.[26][27]

Vladivostok has a fully integrated diesel-electric propulsion system with main diesel generators supplying power for both main propulsion as well as ship's service loads while underway. Her main power plant consists of four 12-cylinder Wärtsilä 12V32E four-stroke medium-speed diesel engines rated at 6,960 kilowatts (9,330 hp) each.[2] In addition, there are two 800-kilowatt (1,100 hp) Wärtsilä 4L20 auxiliary diesel generators for use when the vessel is at port and a 200-kilowatt (270 hp) emergency diesel generator.[17]

For main propulsion, Vladivostok is fitted with two electrically driven azimuth thrusters. Her two Steerprop SP 110 ARC PULL Z-drive units,[28] each driven by two 4,500-kilowatt (6,000 hp) electric propulsion motors in tandem configuration,[17] were the most powerful mechanical azimuth thrusters in the world at the time of delivery.[29] With a total propulsion power of 18,000 kilowatts (24,000 hp), Vladivostok can achieve a service speed of 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) in open water[2] and break up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) thick level ice.[30] In addition, she has a transverse bow thruster for maneuvering.[25]

Career

Vladivostok is based in Saint Petersburg and normally escorts merchant ships in the Gulf of Finland during the winter navigating season.[31] However, in April 2016 the icebreaker sailed to the Arctic together with her sister vessel Murmansk for full-scale ice trials.[32] In the following years, Vladivostok returned to the Arctic: in 2017, she was stationed in Sabetta to provide icebreaking services for the Arctic LNG terminal and in the following year provided ice management services during offshore drilling in the Kara Sea.[33]

References
  1. "Vladivostok (9658654)". Equasis. French Ministry for Transport. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  2. "Vladivostok (120113)". Register of ships. Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  3. "Vyborg Shipyard JSC will construct icebreaking vessel". Vyborg Shipyard. December 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  4. "USC and Vyborg Shipyard to build two icebreakers of Project 21900M". PortNews. 24 February 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  5. "Ceremony of keel-laying of Icebreaker project 21900M at Vyborg Shipyard". Vyborg Shipyard. October 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  6. "Launching ceremony of an icebreaker project 21900M took place at Vyborg Shipyard". Vyborg Shipyard. April 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  7. "Official ceremony of lifting the National Flag on the prototype Icebreaker project 21900 M was held in St.-Petersburg". Vyborg Shipyard. September 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  8. "16 MW icebreaker" (PDF). Arctech Helsinki Shipyard. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  9. "Ломая лед" (PDF), ОСК (in Russian), 4 (8): 24, 2011, retrieved 20 May 2019
  10. "Для Приморска построят ледоколы" (in Russian). dp.ru. 21 October 2004. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  11. "RosMorPort takes delivery of diesel-electric icebreaker Moskva built by Baltiysky Zavod". PortNews. 11 December 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  12. "Подписан акт приема-передачи дизель-электрического ледокола "Владивосток" (фото)" (in Russian). PortNews. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  13. "Выборгский СЗ и ОСК подписали соглашение о строительстве дизельного ледокола мощностью 16 мВт" (in Russian). PortNews. 5 December 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  14. "The contract for construction of two diesel-powered open sea icebreakers has signed". Vyborg Shipyard. February 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  15. "ОСК спасает Выборгский завод" (in Russian). United Shipbuilding Corporation. 23 February 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  16. "16 MW Icebreaker" (PDF). Arctech Helsinki Shipyard. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  17. ""Мурманск" для Петербурга: каков ледокол проекта 21900М?" (in Russian). Korabel.ru. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  18. "Vyborg Shipyard starts building icebreaker of 21900M Project". PortNews. 23 August 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  19. "Works on construction of a barge are being completed at Vyborg Shipyard JSC". Vyborg Shipyard. April 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  20. "First block of VSY Icebreaker project 21900 M is placed on open building berth". Vyborg Shipyard. March 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  21. "Second block of Icebreaker is placed on open building berth". Vyborg Shipyard. March 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  22. "At VSY there was held a solemn ceremony on the occasion of start of hull assembly works of icebreaker project 21900 M". Vyborg Shipyard. August 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  23. Wärtsilä-yhtymä O/Y Hietalahden telakka (1960), 22000 ahv:n polaarijäänmurtajat Moskva ja Leningrad, Helsinki: Oy Weilin & Göös Ab
  24. "Vladivostok (6822876)". Sea-web. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  25. "Vladivostok (9658654)". Sea-web. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  26. "Icebreaker of 21900M Project Hull Float Out Ceremony". Rosmorport. 29 April 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  27. "Rules for the Classification and Construction of Sea-Going Ships, Part I: Classification". Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  28. "Steerprop propulsors ordered for Russian icebreakers". MarineLog. 10 January 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  29. "Steerprop propulsion for Russian icebreakers". The Motor Ship. Mercator Media. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  30. "Lead Icebreaker of 21900 Project Hits the Water". World Maritime News. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  31. "Icebreaking Services". Rosmorport. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  32. "Arctic tests for Russia's new icebreakers". Eye on the Arctic. Radio Canada International. 6 April 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  33. "Icebreaking services". Rosmorport. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
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