Leningrad region based PJSC Vyborg Shipyard (FAZ, part of United Shipbuilding Corporation) on August 10, 2016 commenced mooring trials of the diesel-powered open sea icebreaker "Novorossiysk" (LK-16) of Project 21900M, the shipbuilding company said in a press release. The shipbuilder will be testing the vessel's mechanisms, systems and onboard equipment. Vyborg Shipyard was contracted to build three 16MW icebreakers and started executing the shipbuilding contract in 2012. The first vessel of "Vladivostok" series was delivered to the Customer in October 2015. Serial icebreaker "Murmansk" was handed over in December 2015. The serial icebreaker Novorossiysk was launched at the end of October 2015. This project icebreakers are able to sail in the 1.5-meter-thick ice. The vessel can escort independently large-tonnage merchant ships, provide towing service, firefighting to floating vessels and other facilities, assistance to stricken ships, transportation of cargo. Vyborg Shipyard (part of state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation from 2012) is one of the largest shipbuilding companies of the North-Western Region of Russia with over 60-years’ experience in shipbuilding. Since its inception in 1948 the shipbuilding company has built more than 200 different vessels with a total displacement of 1,550,000 tonnes. United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC OJSC) is the largest shipbuilding company in Russia. It was set up in 2007 with 100% federal ownership. The holding comprises 60 companies and organizations (major shipbuilding and shiprepairing companies as well as leading design bureaus). Currently, USC consolidates about 80% of the domestic shipbuilding complex. The Russian market is the main focus of the state corporation though it also exports its products to 20 countries worldwide. (Source: PortNews)