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ABB has won a $35m deal to supply the propulsion plant for a new icebreaker vessel on order at the Baltic Shipyard.
The vessel has been ordered by Russia’s state shipping company Rosmorport FSUE and is due for delivery in 2015.
ABB will provide integrated power generation and distribution systems, thruster motors, fire-fighting pump motors as well as the 25 MW propulsion systems.
The latter will feature two Azipod thruster units and one centerline arranged shafting with a fixed pitch propeller generating additional 10MW output.
All Azipod propulsion units for this project are specifically designed for extreme Arctic ice class RMRS Icebreaker-8.
The 25MW line diesel-electric icebreaker will operate on the Northern Sea Route, the Arctic seas and estuaries of rivers discharging into the Arctic Ocean.
It will be able to proceed through compact ice fields up to 2m thick both ahead and astern at a speed of 2 knots in temperatures as low as minus 35 degrees Celsius.
ABB claim considerable gains in energy efficiency can be achieved using an Azipod propulsion system, with up to 20% fuel reduction.
“The extreme conditions north of the Arctic Circle demand constant availability and high-energy efficiency from all systems on board,” said ABB.
Tradewinds OFFSHORE
02 October 2012, 02:49 GMT