The German shipbuilder Nordic Yards has signed a contract for the construction of two icebreaking rescue and salvage vessels for the Russian Ministry of Transport. They will operate on the northern polar sea route in the Arctic in the region of Murmansk and in Sakhalin.

The 86m-long and 19m-wide vessels will be used for patrols and rescue operations in offshore oil and gas fields. They are highly specialised, have a complex level of equipment and are designed for searching for and rescuing ships in distress, evacuating people and providing them with medical care, the shipbuilder said.
The vessels are icebreakers of the second highest ice class, suitable for rescue operations in harsh environments. They can be used both for icebreaking operations in harbours and waters with an ice thickness of 1m as well as for fire-fighting and combating oil spills from the sea.
Due to their specialised equipment, the vessels can study the ocean floor and damaged objects at depths of up to 1,000m. Furthermore, the vessels will be equipped with a helipad on the bow.
The engineering and start of construction will take place in 2013 with delivery scheduled for the spring of 2015.