Murmansk Branch News

Kapitan Dranitsyn Icebreaker Supports an Expedition

On July 19, 2013 the Kapitan Dranitsyn icebreaker started its voyage with the research team of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute onboard.

The main task of the icebreaker crew is to provide transport and icebreaking support of the research team during marine hydrometeorological and ice studies, and also trials to elaborate the ice safety plan for a drilling ship in the Kara Sea. The team is to solv a wide range of problems, such as:
- performing ice and meteorological observations onboard the ship;
- placing drifting buoys to dangerous ice objects;
- performing ice observation form a helicopter;
- receiving satellite and aviation radar information on the ice cover condition;
- receiving and transmitting actual and forecast hydrometeorological and ice information from/to the shore-based analytical center of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute in Saint-Petersburg;
- evaluating the opportunity to influence the dangerous ice objects with the help of the icebreaker.
 
Estimated duration of the voyage is 30 days. The Kapitan Dranitsyn icebreaker is to return to Murmansk Seaport in mid-August.



For information:

The Kapitan Dranitsyn is a diesel icebreaker ranked KM(*) LL3[2] AUT2, with power of 24 000 h.p., a 45-milimeter hull and tonnage of 12,288 tons. It was built on the Vartsila shipyard (Finland), and certified according to international standards, in particular as a passenger vessel, and is designed to work in harsh arctic conditions.

The icebreaker can carry no more than 128 passengers onboard in 60 passenger cabins, 52 of which are double, including 6 double suites, and 8 of which are triple.