he FSUE "Rosmorport" Astrakhan branch solemnly celebrated the 35th anniversary of the Captain Chechkin icebreaker.

The vessel was built in 1977 by Finnish shipbuilders for the needs of the USSR Ministry of Marine Fleet for vessels pilotage at Northern rivers of the country. For a long time the icebreaker was used as an auxiliary during pilotage implemented by nuclear icebreakers at the Northern Sea Route.

Since 1986 the icebreaker based at the Caspian basin. Since then it is used for pilotage at the Volga-Caspian Sea Canal and at the Northern Caspian water areas to provige round-a-year navigation at regional sea ports.
Several times the icebreaker used to participate rescue operation saving vessels from ice at Middle, Lower and Upper Volga. As a tug vessel, the Captain Chechkin refloated ships, and its participation at the Grigoriy Bugrov tanker rescue operation became historical.

Besides solving main tasks, the icebreaker is used as the command and general vessel during various regional and international maneuvers at Caspian sea.

The icebreaker's crew was congratulated by the Astrakhan branch senior management, "Caspian sea ports administration" representatives, the FSU "Baltiyskoye BASY" and other organizations.

The Captain Chechkin icebreaker is currently belongs to the Astrakhan branch icebreaking fleet and is totaly ready for solving the most important tasks on vessels caravans escorting to sea ports of Astrakhan and Olya, and also at the Volga-Caspian Sea Canal during winter navigation 2012-2013.