APRIL 12, 2013 — Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, which is 50/50 owned by STX Finland Oy and Russia's United Shipbuilding Corporation is about to deliver the second of two icebreaking supply vessels to Sovcomflot.

At a shipyard ceremony yesterday, the ship was named Aleksey Chirikov, after the 18th century Russian navigator and contempory of Vitus Bering. On delivery next week, it will head to the Sakhalin area in Far East Russia.

The main purpose of the Chirikov and its sister the Vitus Bering, which was delivered to Sovcomflot in December 2012,  is to supply the Arkutun-Dagi oil and gas production platform and to protect it from the ice. The vessel type has been designed for extreme environmental conditions and will be operating in thick drifting ice in temperatures as cold as minus 35 C°. The icebreaking capability of the vessel is extremely high, it is able to operate independently in 1.7 m thick ice.

"Vitus Bering and Aleksey Chirikov are the result of excellent cooperation between Arctech and Sovcomflot. These state-of-the-art multifunctional icebreaking supply vessels can be utilized in many arctic areas in the future and I see a global need for such Arctic vessels," says the Managing Director of Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, Esko Mustamäki.

Both vessels measuring 99.9 m in length and 21.7 m in breadth. Their four engines have the total power of 18,000 kW and a propulsion power of 13,000 kW. As multipurpose vessels, they are capable of carrying various type of cargo and they are equipped for pollution combating, fire fighting, and rescue operations.