The Russian Navy icebreaking tug Kapitan Ushakov at a shipyard in Saint Petersburg, June 19, 2025 MarineTraffic.com/Chaika Official
Harbour Tugs and Operation

Sea trials completed for new Russian Navy tug

Gareth Havelock

Russia's Yaroslavl Shipyard has completed conducting sea trials of a new icebreaking tug ordered by the Russian Navy.

Kapitan Sergeev belongs to the Project 23470 series of tugs. Design work on the vessels was done in compliance with Russian Maritime Register of Shipping requirements.

In addition to towing, the tug may also be used for pilot transfers, escort, and external firefighting.

The tug has an LOA of 69.75 metres, a beam of 15 metres, a draught of 5.2 metres, and a displacement of approximately 3,200 tons. The propulsion will deliver a service speed of 14 knots and an endurance of 30 days.

Kapitan Sergeev is a sister vessel of Kapitan Ushakov (pictured), which capsized and sank at a shipyard in Saint Petersburg while still under construction on August 8 of this year.

One the said date, Kapitan Ushakov was undergoing final outfitting when one of its compartments suffered water ingress, causing it to tilt heavily to starboard. The tug eventually settled to the seabed near the jetty where it had been undergoing outfitting.

The Investigative Committee of Russia has since launched a criminal investigation into the incident, which officials suspect was the result of violations of safety protocols.