Wärtsilä to power two Russian icebreakers

OCTOBER 25, 2012 — Wärtsilä has won a contract to supply integrated power and automation systems for two new icebreakers being built for a Russian state-owned enterprise by Vyborg Shipyard JSC, a long-time partner of Wärtsilä.

The vessels, scheduled to be delivered in 2015, will operate mainly in the Baltic Sea and in Arctic waters. Wärtsilä’s strong track record in supplying reliable and technically sound solutions for icebreakers, and other vessels operating in arctic conditions, was cited as being a key factor in the award of this contract. There is an option pending to supply similar equipment for a third icebreaker within this same project.

Each vessel is to be equipped with:

Four 12-cylinder Wärtsilä 32 main engines
Two 4-cylinder Wärtsilä 20 auxiliary gensets
Wärtsilä Power Management System (PMS)
Wärtsilä Power Distribution System
Wärtsilä Power Drive System

“Wärtsilä has a leading market position in supplying power and automation systems for icebreakers and other vessels that operate in harsh, arctic conditions,” says Aaron Bresnahan, Vice President Sales, Wärtsilä Ship Power. “Such ships are usually working a long way from port repair facilities, and for that reason reliability and operating efficiencies are essential. We have worked closely with the leading Russian shipowners for many years, and they are well aware of our capabilities in this area.”