FSUE “Rosmorport” completed the preparation of its icebreaking fleet for the upcoming icebreaking support services during 2020-2021 winter navigation period.

At this moment, all 12 port icebreakers of the enterprise are fully technically prepared for work. These icebreakers include 3 vessels of the FSUE “Rosmorport” Arkhangelsk branch (the Kapitan Evdokimov, the Kapitan Chadaev and the Kapitan Kosolapov), 3 vessels of the Azov basin branch (the Fanagoria, the Kapitan Kharchikov and the Semyon Sedov), as well as 6 icebreakers for the work in the North-West basin – the Semyon Dezhnev, the Ivan Kruzenshtern, the Kapitan M. Izmailov, the Kapitan Zarubin, the Yuri Lisyansky and the Kapitan Plakhin.

As part of the preparation for the support services period, FSUE “Rosmorport” carries out repair works on the icebreaking fleet, taking into account the technical condition of the systems and mechanisms of all vessels. These works are carried out in accordance with the technical operating instructions and taking into account the requirements of the classification societies.

The icebreaker fleet of FSUE “Rosmorport” consists of 36 icebreakers and icebreaking tugs. The linear icebreakers will be prepared by planned date by December 1, 2020. The icebreakers of FSUE “Rosmorport” are equipped with experienced crews, the captains have many years of experience in the field of icebreaking fleet. The icebreakers of the enterprise participate in unique marine operations in polar waters on a regular basis. For example, in 2019, the Dixon icebreaker towed the Akademik Lomonosov, the world's only floating power unit, along the Northern Sea Route from Murmansk to Pevek. During 2019-2020 winter season, the Kapitan Dranitsyn and the Admiral Makarov icebreakers took part in the international project MOSAiC and delivered personnel, supplies and fuel from the port of Tromsø (Norway) to the Polarstern research icebreaker, embedded in the ice in the arctic high latitudes.

The enterprise provides icebreaking support services for vessels in 15 freezing seaports of the Russian Federation and on the approaches to them, as well as services for icebreaking support for vessels navigating in ice in other basins of the World ocean. The icebreaking support services start at different times. According to long-term practice, the season first opens in the water area of the Arkhangelsk seaport, from the middle of November.

No matter how unexpected, the icebreakers of FSUE “Rosmorport” carry out largest number of icebreaking support services in the Azov basin. In winter, the Sea of Azov finds itself at the crossroads of atmospheric fronts; a zone of high atmospheric pressure passes to the north of it, from which cold mainland air rushes to the sea, which can result in freezing of the sea from December to March. The thickness of the ice in winter reaches 50-80 cm, and the thickness of torsos reaches 2 m and more. In 2018-2019, in the Azov basin, FSUE “Rosmorport” carried out icebreaking support services for 3.357 vessels, while in general, the fleet of the enterprise carried out 6.572 icebreaking support services over the year.

Such rate in the Azov basin is achieved due to the possibility to carry out icebreaking support services for relatively small vessels by using caravan method, while two powerful linear icebreakers must be used simultaneously to carry out icebreaking support service for a large-capacity vessel, for example, in the Gulf of Finland.