Construction of the first LK-25 ice breaker recently commenced in St Petersburg, Russia. Touted as "the largest icebreaker in the history of the Russian shipbuilding industry", these vessels will also comprise the nation's first ice breakers built in the twenty-first century.
These new generation diesel-electric ice breakers will have an energy capacity of 25 megawatts, and the total cost of each vessel will amount to RUB7.9 billion (USD263 million). The LK-25 will also be the most modern ice breakers in the Russia's fleet.
The LC-25 will also debut a combined propulsion system which will allow the vessel to manoeuvre both in open water and in heavy ice conditions.
It is also the first time that ships of this class will feature cargo cranes of up to 150 tonnes for underwater work in the offshore drilling and production platform industry, as well as in the underwater pipeline construction sector.
Vladislav Vorotnikov
