VESSEL REVIEW | Evpatiy Kolovrat – Large icebreaker handed over to Russian Navy

The Russian Navy recently welcomed a new large icebreaker to its fleet of support ships.

Constructed at the Saint Petersburg facilities of Almaz Shipbuilding Company, Evpatiy Kolovrat is named after a protagonist of an Old East Slavic folk tale. The vessel belongs to the Project 21180M series of icebreakers designed by local naval architecture firm Vympel Design Bureau in compliance to the Icebreaker6 notation of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS).

The Project 21180M vessels are variants of the earlier Project 21180 series but were developed by Vympel to have a lower operating cost. The newer icebreaker therefore has a lower displacement, a slightly shorter hull, a shallower draught, shorter range, and limited multi-role capability compared to the parent Project 21180 series, of which only one example – the 2017-built Ilya Muromets – was completed.

The icebreaker has an LOA of 82 metres, a beam of 19 metres, a draught of 4.6 metres, a displacement of 4,080 tonnes, and accommodations for 28 crewmembers. The diesel-electric propulsion system consists of three 3.5MW generators driving three stainless steel propellers plus a 700kW bow thruster for added lateral manoeuvrability in close quarters. The centreline propeller is fitted on a fixed shaft while the port and starboard units are housed in two Steerprop azimuthing thrusters.

The propulsion arrangement delivers a speed of 14 knots and a range of 7,600 nautical miles while the RMRS Icebreaker6 notation means the vessel can continuously sail at two knots through level surface ice of up to one metre in thickness. In non-Arctic waters, navigation is possible in 1.5-metre-thick ice. The vessel can also stay out at sea for up to 30 days if needed.

Other facilities include a helicopter deck fitted forward of the superstructure. The bridge provides improved 360-degree visibility, allowing the crew to also easily monitor operations on the spacious aft deck.

The icebreaker's other functions include towing, escort, cargo transport, hydrographic survey support, and general emergency response. Russian officials said the vessel may even be fitted with light anti-aircraft weapons to provide limited self-defence capability.

Evpatiy Kolovrat is homeported at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, from where it will operate as part of the Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet.

Some of our readers have expressed disquiet at our publication of reviews and articles describing new vessels from Russia. We at Baird Maritime can understand and sympathise with those views. However, despite the behaviour of the country's leaders, we believe that the maritime world needs to learn of the latest developments in vessel design and construction there.

See all the other news, reviews and features of this month's Marine Engines and Propulsion Systems Week right here.