“Kapitan Metsayk” and “Kapitan Chudinov” icebreakers, which are planned to be included in the FSUE “Rosmorport” Astrakhan branch fleet, arrived to the seaport of Astrakhan.

FSUE “Rosmorport” deputy General director for fleet A.N. Aleshkin and “RMP-Management” LLC director A.S. Kapitanov examined the icebreakers and signed the acceptance certificate of “Kapitan Chudinov” icebreaker.

Heavy ice conditions during the winter navigation 2009-2010 revealed the deficit of icebreakers to provide the efficient ice pilotage from the seaports of Astrkhan and Olya to Caspian Sea and in the opposite direction. That is why Rosmorrechflot at the initiative of the Astrakhan Region Authorities made the decision to enlarge the Astrakhan branch icebreaking fleet and transfer “Kapitan Metsayk” and “Kapitan Chudinov” icebreakers earlier operated in the Northeast part of the Caspian Sea to the seaport of Astrakhan.

The use of “Kapitan Metsayk” and “Kapitan Chudinov” icebreakers together with the others icebreakers of the branch will provide the uninterruptable icebreaking pilotage with positive impact to transportation volume through the Volga-Caspian sea shipping Channel and the seaports of Astrakhan and Olya operation.

Reference
“Kapitan Metsayk” and “Kapitan Chudinov” icebreakers specifications:
Year of construction: 1983 (“Kapitan Chudinov”), 1984 (“Kapitan Metsayk”);
Type: icebreaking tug, project 1191;
Shipbuilder: «Wartsila Helsinki» (Finland);
Length: 76.5 m;
Width: 16.6 m;
Draught: 2.7 m;
Power capacity: 6 600 h.p.;
Speed: 25 km/h;
Engine: diesel.