In early February representatives of FSUE "Rosmorport" visited the Baltic Shipyard-Shipbuilding and the Vyborg Shipyard, where up-to-date leading diesel icebreakers are being constructed in accordance with state contracts.

Following the results of the meetings, the Vyborg Shipyard officers confirmed their liability to present two 16 MWt leading diesel icebreakers named Vladivostok and Murmansk to FSUE "Rosmorport" in 2015. The third icebreaker in the line is expected to be ready in 2016. Besides, the team of the Baltic Shipyard-Shipbuilding is working hard on the creation of a 25 MWt leading icebreaker, which the shipyard management is planning to transfer to the customer in 2018.

The new diesel icebreakers are supposed to be used in the North-Western Basin Branch. Their construction and commissioning are to provide solution for reduction of average icebreaker fleet age, which is an acute issue nowadays. Having contemporary auxiliary fleet is a crucial factor for creation of attractive conditions for vessels calling to Russian ports, as it ensures navigation safety, provides high efficiency of cargo operations and ecological safety.

Icebreaker fleet replenishment by means of new vessels construction is a priority task to provide year-round access to freezing Russian seaports.

For information:
The North-Western Basin Branch provides icebreaking services both in convoys and individually to vessels calling at the seaports in the Eastern part of the Gulf of Finland, such as Big Port of Saint-Petersburg, Vyborg, Vysotsk, Passenger Pot of Saint-Petersburg, Primorsk and Ust-Luga. 
The icebreaking fleet of the branch comprises 14 diesel icebreakers, the characteristics of which are appropriate for working in ice conditions of the Baltic Sea.