Stepan Makarov icebreaker

The 2017-built MS Stepan Makarov ("ледокол Степан Макаров") is an icebreaking vessel owned by SCF Sovcomflot (Совкомфлот/fleet) and operated via the subsidiary company SCF Sakhalin Vessels Ltd. The shipowner is a Russian state-owned corporation that specializes in petroleum and LNG shipping.

The vessel (IMO number 9753727, Helsinki Shipyard/hull number 512) is currently Russia-flagged (MMSI 273392530) and homeported in Vladivostok.

The icebreaker is operated as a supply vessel for Russia's Sakhalin 2 oil and gas field on Sakhalin Island (Okhotsk Sea, northwestern Pacific Ocean). The ship is named after the Russian vice-admiral Stepan Osipovich Makarov (1849-1904, Imperial Russian Navy service 1863-1904). He was a decorated naval commander as well as an oceanographer, naval researcher, war strategist, and ship designer. During the Russia-Turkey War (1877-1892) he adopted the strategy of using small torpedo boat fleets in naval battles. He also designed 2 icebreaking steamships for train-ferry service across Lake Baikal.

The shipowner Sovcomflot (Совкомфлот/1988-founded) is Russia's largest shipping company specializing in hydrocarbon transportation (of HGLs-Hydrocarbon gas liquids) from the Russian Arctic regions. Of the fleet's ~150 vessels, 80+ are ice-classed (with icebreaking capabilities).

History and construction

This Russian icebreaker class was designed by Arctech Helsinki Shipyard (Helsinki Finland) as a supply vessel. It represents a 4-ship series of IBSBV ("icebreaking standby vessel"), with sisterships Gennadiy Nevelskoy, Fedor Ushakov, and Yevgeny Primakov.

The pair of sisterships Aleksey Chirikov (2013) and Vitus Bering (2012) are an earlier design, which is less powerful (with 4 diesel engines) and without a moon pool. All vessels were ordered in December 2010, following the agreement between the shipbuilders STX Finland (currently Meyer Turku) and OCK ("United Shipbuilding Corporation", Russia) to form the joint venture shipbuilding company "Arctech Helsinki Shipyard".

Most hull blocks were assembled at the Helsinki shipyard. The majority of them were manufactured in Russia (by Vyborg Shipyard) and via a cargo barge transported to Finland for outfitting, painting, and assembly.

IBSBV Stepan Makarov vessel was the second of all four SCF-commissioned icebreakers. Compared to the original design, These standby vessels with smaller deadweight (3824 tons), higher personnel capacity (98 people) and enhanced functionality. They were all built by Arctech Helsinki. All these ships are used for year-round delivery of equipment, personnel, and supplies to the 3 offshore gas and oil platforms. The ships also perform standby duty, environmental protection (oil spill recovery), rescue operations (fire-fighting, helicopter, emergency evacuation) and diving support.

• The three standby vessels were ordered in August 2014 (contract value USD 380 million). The project followed the May 2014 signed a 20-year contract between SCF and the consortium SEIC (Sakhalin Energy, operator of the Sakhalin-2 field).
• Stepan Makarov ship's keel was laid on December 17, 2015. The vessel was floated out on June 30, 2016, and delivered on March 3, 2017.
• Arctech Helsinki Shipyard specializes in building Arctic icebreakers and offshore supply vessels.
• United Shipbuilding Corporation (founded 2007) manages Russia's entire shipbuilding industry, with over 80,000 employees working in 40+ shipyards, design offices, and ship-repair yards.

Newbuild Russian icebreaking support vessels also include Gazprom Neft's Alexander Sannikov and Andrey Vilkitsky. Both 2018-built boats serve Gazprom's Arctic Gate (Novy Port offshore crude-oil loading terminal) of the Novoportovskoye oil field.

Stepan Makarov icebreaker vessel details

The vessel is powered by all six Wartsila marine diesel engines (generator sets/power plant) with combined power output 21 MW. Ship's propulsion is diesel-electric, consisting of two ABB Azipods (azimuth thrusters, model VI1600, combined power output 13 MW) plus 2 bow thrusters (combined power 2,6 MW).

The vessel has a scientific moon pool (aka "wet porch"). This is a floor opening in the hull that gives direct access to the water below and allows the crew to deploy underwater instruments (including ROVs and AUVs) and divers.

• Max draft: 7,9 m (26 ft) when fully loaded
• Deadweight: 3670 tons
• Ice-breaking capacity: 1,7 m (6 ft) - both ahead and astern ice-break capability
• Ice-breaking speed: 3 kN (5,6 kph / 3,5 mph) in ice thickness 1,5 m (5 ft)
• Endurance: 30 days
• Ice class: Icebreaker6 ( RMRS / "Russian Maritime Register of Shipping")
• Cargo capacity: cargo deck (709 m2), liquids-bulk (3850 m3)
• Crew and passenger capacity: 70 (28+42)
• Fire fighting capacity: 2 monitors (1200 m3 per hour each), water spraying capacity 1000 m3 per hour
• Rescue capacity: 70 people

Note: In the case of poor AIS coverage, tracking the vessel's current location will be impossible. You can see CruiseMapper's list of all icebreakers and ice-breaking research ships in the "itinerary" section of our Icebreakers hub. All states and their fleets are listed there.