Kapitan Dranitsyn icebreaker sets world records
The FSUE “Rosmorport” Kapitan Dranitsyn icebreaker has returned to the home port of Murmansk upon completion of ф long-duration navigation. From last November the vessel took part in the MOSAiC international Arctic expedition (the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate). The expedition is aimed at studying the influence of the northernmost region on the global climate. At the eastern latitudes of the Arctic region the icebreaker provided supplies, delivered relief crews and research workers to the drifting station of the project that is the German Polarstern icebreaker.
The icebreaker’s participation has not been without records for FSUE “Rosmorport”, which is an official partner of the Arctic expedition from Russia.
The Kapitan Dranitsyn has become the first diesel electric icebreaker, which hit the highest point in the Arctic region – L=880 36’ N in winter. The FSUE “Rosmorport” icebreaker moved to the location of the Arctic expedition in harsh ice conditions.
The other significant record is the unique fuel bunker operation from another FSUE “Rosmorport” icebreaker – the Admiral Makarov at L=84046’. Multiyear ices, ridging, snow cover and ice pressure prevented the movement of the Kapitan Dranitsyn icebreaker, which used more fuel than scheduled. As a result the icebreaker broke the record from 80 years ago when the Yermak USSR icebreaker provided coal fuel for the Sedov, the Malygin and the Sadko vessels at the coordinates L=830 04’ N and L=660 31’ E.
Upon its return to the home port the Kapitan Dranitsyn icebreaker has stayed at the anchoring station for 14 days pursuant to the order issued by Russia’s Federal Service for Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare to observe quarantine guidelines. Earlier, the icebreaker called at the Norwegian port of Tromsø where it delivered scientists and relief crew of the vessel and where wastes from the Polarstern icebreaker were disposed of.
