On 29 October 2015 diesel-electrical icebreaker Novorossiysk of 21900М project was festively set afloat and “christened” at Vyborgsky shipyard.

The event was attended by Deputy head of Federal agency for marine and inland transport Aleksandre Poshivay, General Director of FSUE “Rosmorport Andrey Tarasenko, CEO of PJSC “Vyborgsky shipyard” Aleksandre Solovyev, the head of municipal unit “Vyborg town” Aleksandre Lysov, and chairman of heroe-city Novorossiysk Aleksandre Shatalov city council.

Ceremony of launching a vessel is one of the most important and spectacular steps in history of any vessel. According to the tradition, in the beginning of the event the icebreaker was blessed. Anzhelika Ryskova, the one who broke a sacrificial bottle of champagne over the bow, became the vessel’s “mother-in-law” and named it Novorossiysk.

The “mother-in-law” donated icon of St Nicholas the Miracle-Maker, who is considered to be the patron of travellers and seafarers. The act of donation has its reason: the vessels is going to be used in that very branch.

Launching a vessel is one of the stages of its construction, after it outfitting work and running trials will be performed. After the trials are finished and results of examination received, the vessels will be set into operation.

Novorossiysk is one of three icebreakers with capacity of 18MW planned to be ready for exploitation under federal target program “Development of the Russian transport system for 2010 – 2020”.

Novorossiysk icebreaker can go through ice of 1.5 m width. Its main function is pilotage of large capacity vessels, towage, assistance for vessels and cargo transshipment. Novorossiysk icebreaker was laid down at Vyborgsky shipyard in December 2012.