Russia’s State Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (SMRCC) has ordered two new rescue and salvage icebreakers for patrols in offshore oil-and-gas fields.The vessels are under construction at Nordic Yards GmbH in Germany and will be fitted with equipment for oil-spill response. They are designed for arctic conditions and will receive Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS) Icebreaker 6 class notations to perform rescue operations in waters covered by ice of up to 1m thick.
ABB has a US$25 million contract to supply its marine propulsion system, Azipod, and complete electric power plants to both of the vessels.This will include 3.5 megawatt (MW) Azipod VI units, main switchboards, drives, bow thrusters and generators. Total power per vessel will be 7 MW.
ABB has made a significant investment in Russia to support the country’s fast-growing offshore oil-and-gas activities in the Arctic. The company has 27 offices in Russia and 5 production sites, overseen by its head office in Moscow. ABB has also established dedicated marine centers in Moscow and St. Petersburg, backed by specialized marine service teams in Murmansk and Sakhalin.
“Since ABB’s first delivery of Azipod technology for ice breakers in the 1990s, 60 units have been delivered for more than 30 ice-going vessels,” said Veli-Matti Reinikkala, head of ABB's Process Automation division. “On average, two out of three high ice-class vessels built today are fitted with ABB systems. This order sustains our reputation as a long-term and reliable partner in the Russian market.”
Photo, courtesy of ABB: Russian icebreaker under construction in Germany.
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