The flagship of FSUE “Rosmorport” fleet, the world's largest and most powerful non-nuclear icebreaker Viktor Chernomyrdin, set out for its first icebreaking operation, namely, providing icebreaker assistance for vessels in the Gulf of Finland. Leaving the Big Port Saint Petersburg, the icebreaker Viktor Chernomyrdin is providing icebreaker assistance for bulk carrier Rodina.

The icebreaker will be operating on approaches to the seaports of Vyborg, Vysotsk and Primorsk in order to pilot vessels, including large-capacity tankers, to the seaports.

A solemn ceremony of raising the State Flag of the Russian Federation on the icebreaker Viktor Chernomyrdin was held in November 2020 in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In general, the icebreaker group of FSUE “Rosmorport” in the Gulf of Finland includes 6 linear and 6 port icebreakers. In January, in order to strengthen the group, the linear icebreaker Kapitan Dranitsyn arrived at the Big Port Saint Petersburg.

Besides the seaports of the Gulf of Finland, the fleet of the enterprise already provides pilotage in the seaports of Vanino, Magadan, Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan, Olya, Rostov-on-Don, Azov, Taganrog, on the approaches to the seaport of Eysk, as well as in the water areas of the Volga-Caspian marine shipping channel and Saimaa channel.

In 2020, FSUE “Rosmorport” began to carry out icebreaker assistance for vessels starting from December 7. The icebreaking group of FSUE “Rosmorport” is the largest icebreaking group in the world. In total, the fleet of the enterprise includes 36 icebreakers and icebreaker tugs of various capacities, which provide piloting in 15 freezing seaports of Russia.

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Diesel-electric icebreaker Viktor Chernomyrdin has a shaft power of 25 MW and a total capacity of 34 800 kW. It is designed to ensure uninterrupted pilotage of vessels in the Gulf of Finland, including large-capacity tankers and bulk carriers. The icebreaker can also provide services in the Arctic and Antarctica.

Viktor Chernomyrdin has Icebreaker8 ice class and is able to develop speed of up to 17.8 knots on clean water, navigate through ice up to 2 meters thick with continuous movement at a speed of 2 knots. Moreover, the icebreaker can operate in ice up to 3 meters thick.

This is a modern, high-tech and maneuverable vessel. The icebreaker has the highest automation class and can be controlled from the bridge by only one person.

The multifunctional icebreaker has two helipads. It can not only provide icebreaker assistance, but also participate in scientific expeditions and transport containers and dangerous goods. Its crew consists of 38 people. Victor Chernomyrdin can take on board up to 90 specialists. Depending on the tasks assigned to the vessel, these specialists can be members of scientific expeditions, workers or representatives of contracting organizations. Fuel autonomy is up to 60 days.