Kapitan Dranitsyn icebreaker is successfully continuing to provide icebreaker assistance under the contract between FSUE "Rosmorport" and OJSC "Sovfraht" on the distance from the southern ice edge up to Alexandra Land, island of Franz Josef Land archipelago.  
 
Since its departure from Murmansk Sea Port in March of 2015 the icebreaker has provided icebreaker assistance for 8 vessels and transported more than 300 specialists in its two- and three-seat cabins.
 
Kapitan Dranitsyn's operations area is still difficult to perform assistance in. The icebreaker and assisted vessels always have to overcome areas of moderate and high ice pressure. From time to time, although the icebreaker has a highly productive powerplant with capacity of over 18MW, it has to heave to and wait until the situation, effected by the wind directions and velocity, improves.
 
As agreed in the contract with OJSC "Sovfraht" Kapitan Dranitsyn icebreaker will work in the given area till June 2015. Its work termination will be specified addittionally and depend on the situation on ice and actual schedule of vessels following to Franz Josef Land archipelago.
 
For information:
Kapitan Dranitsyn is a diesel icebreaker of KM(*) LL3[2] AUT2 class. It was built at Vartsila (Finland) shipyard in 1980, complies with international standards, was issued a passenger certificate from Russian Maritime Register of Shipping and has unlimited navigation area.
The icebreaker enjoys high demand from Russian and foreign charterers for various operations in the Arctic and the Antarctic. During winter navigation the vessel provides icebreaker assistance to ice-covered seaports of Russia.
More information on conditions and procedures of icebreaker assistance provided by the Murmansk Branch by means of Kapitan Dranitsyn icebreaker is available in section "Murmansk Branch Icebreaking Services".