Steerprop propulsors ordered for Russian icebreakers

JANUARY 10, 2013  — Finnish azimuthing propulsor specialist Steerprop Ltd. has been contracted to deliver main propulsion systems for three icebreakers ordered by the Russian Federal Agency of Marine and River Transportation from United Shipbuilding Corporation. Two of these icebreakers will be built in the Vyborg shipyard in Russia and one in the Arctech shipyard in Helsinki, Finland.

These new multi-purpose icebreakers will be operating in the Gulf of Finland. They will be built to operate in up to 1.5 meter thick ice and their operational capabilities will include assisting tankers and cargo vessels as well as acting as towing and rescue vessels.

Steerprop Ltd. will deliver two SP 110 ARC PULL propulsors to each new icebreaker. These units will have a power rating of 9,000 kW per propulsor and each propulsor will be classified according to the Icebreaker 7 ice-classification of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. These units will be the most powerful mechanical azimuth propulsors in the world at their time of delivery. The first shipset will be delivered to the shipyards in Vyborg in the spring of 2014 and the following two shipsets three months and six months later, respectively.