Gearing up for Arctic developments

摘要

A mighty fleet of icebreakers and ice-going ships with various ice classes enables year-round navigation along all Russian Federation sea routes. However, in respect of ice class vessels and offshore facilities, there's always room for improvement - in both the number of ice class units and the technological level. While ice class technology in Russia is hardly in its infancy, you must continue to innovate to keep your balance. As of July 2014, there are over 30 dedicated icebreakers registered under RS class and five more icebreakers are under construction. In total, more than 300 RS-classed ships and offshore facilities are classed to operate in the Arctic, affirming the RS' global leadership in ice class solutions. Diesel-electric icebreakers are required to support the infrastructure of energy fields, as well as to enable growing port capacity at winter time and in freezing weather. The Northern Sea Route (NSR) transit capacity increases due to both Russian and foreign-flagged ships and requires nuclear icebreakers to ensure their safety year-round. Ice class oil tankers and LNG carriers, as well as OSVs, also make up a significant proportion of the future fleet.