26 | ICE-CLASS VESSELS AND TECHNOLOGY
Each has a powerful external fire-fighting system that meets the most demanding class notation from the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS). Each vessel also carries multiple workboats and oil spill response equipment and has dedicated storage tanks for recovered oil. The open aft deck served by a 26-tonne crane can be used to transport containers and other cargo. The forward helideck can accommodate large Russian helicopters such as the Mi-8. “According to our forecasts, demand for the transportation market on the Northern Sea Route will increase by one-third by 2030,” explains Mr Dyukov. “The development of our own Arctic fleet will allow the company to maintain leadership in the Russian Arctic for the long-term prospect.” Alexander Sannikov and Andrey Vilkitsky are designed to provide up to 40 days of operation at extreme temperatures of -50C. The onboard computers monitor the ice-breaker life support, start the generators, synchronise the equipment, control the emergency modes, adjust temperature and operational conditions on all decks of the vessel. Digital control of the icebreaker improved the efficiency of the crew – in order to perform similar functions on other icebreaking vessels a twofold increase in crew is necessary. In the open water, the ice-breaking supply vessels can reach speeds of up to 16 knots (25 km/h) and make a 360-degree turn in under a minute. The powerful ice-breaking capability of each vessel is comparable to nuclearpowered ice-breakers. This is facilitated by the special hull shape of the icebreaking supply vessels and their three thrusters, located in pair in the aft and one unit in the fore part of the vessel. Typical ice-breakers run into the ice and break it with their weight. The hulls of the Aker Arctic-designed vessels cut through the ice, which is then chopped by their propellers. The vessels also each have their own fire station, hospital, helideck, emergencyrescue boats, powerful winch and crane with capacity 26 tonnes. Besides tanker
Offshore Support Journal | March 2019
escort, the vessels can also transport cargo, provide towing assistance and participate in rescue operations.
“TYPICAL ICEBREAKERS RUN INTO THE ICE AND BREAK IT WITH THEIR WEIGHT. THE HULLS OF THE AKER ARCTICDESIGNED VESSELS CUT THROUGH THE ICE, WHICH IS THEN CHOPPED BY THEIR PROPELLERS”
Most equipment installed on the icebreaking supply vessels was provided by Russian manufacturers. Zvezdochka Ship Repair Center, part of United Shipbuilding Corporation in Severodvinsk, equipped the vessel with its bow propulsion unit. Other shipboard equipment, such as navigation system, bridge and generators, were supplied by Russian companies.
New ice-breaking anchor-handlers
Russia oil company Rosneft has also ordered four multi-purpose icebreaking anchor-handling supply vessels that will be built at the Zvezda Shipyard in the Bay of Bolshoy Kamen, Primorsky Krai in Russia. Zvezda Shipyard is part of the Far Eastern Shipbuilding and Ship-Repairing Centre (FESSC), which is owned by Rosneft. Construction began last October on the first of the series of vessels that will have an Ice-breaker 7 class notation. The vessels, designated as IBSV 10022 designs, will be delivered at the end of 2019 and during the first half of 2020. The multifunctional IBSVs will perform the transportation of goods to/from offshore drilling rigs and
production platforms, anchor handling, ice-breaking operations, ice situation control, rescue, oil spill response, fire-fighting, towing of jackup offshore platforms and other large offshore structures and carriage of ISO containers on their main decks. Back in September 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Zvezda shipyard for the keel-laying ceremony for the four vessels. “Today, it is important to start accomplishing the main longterm strategic task and to launch production of full-fledged mediumand large-capacity vessels and marine technology as soon as possible,” President Putin said. "I know that a long-term plan for utilising the enterprise’s production facilities up to 2035 has already been approved.” Mr Putin added that the four iceclass multifunctional supply vessels “will strengthen the company’s potential and that of the national fuel and energy sector, as well as promote the development of the Northern Sea Route.” Zvezda’s technology partner, Dutch shipbuilder Damen, is assisting in the development of the icebreaking supply ships. One of the features of the IBSV 10022-class vessels will be podded drive propulsion units, which will offer several benefits to the operator, such as increased propulsion efficiency and manoeuvrability and reduced fuel consumption and exhaust emissions For the shipyard, podded drives reduce installation time and allow for flexible machinery arrangement and a simplified hull form and structure. The podded drives will be built at a plant at the Zvezda shipyard. Construction of the facility began in November 2017. The Sapphire Pod Drive Plant project is managed by a joint venture of Rosneft and General Electric. The ice-class-range of Seajet pods are available for ice-going vessels up to Icebreaker 7 class notation, with a power range from 7.5 MW to 15 MW. They are a joint development of General Electric and AETC Sapphire. OSJ
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