With the world still reeling from the Deepwater Horizon, it’s encouraging to hear that major oil spills may be tackled with greater urgency in the future thanks to a new generation of icebreaking and rescue vessels.
Finnish companies STX Finland Oy, Southeast Trading Oy and Aker Arctic Technology Oy have joined forces with Russian companies FSUE Rosmorport and OAO Sovcomflot to develop and build the vessels for oil spill combat in the Gulf of Finland under icy conditions.
According to the partners, the vessel represents a big step forward in strengthening the Finnish-Russian cooperation in the field of shipbuilding and represents a breakthrough in icebreaking technology.
Featuring an asymmetrical hull it will be able to use an innovative sideways movement to collect oil in icy conditions and to break a broad ice band effectively. In addition, the vessel will be able to solve support, escort and towing tasks for large tankers in the Baltic Sea.
At 67metres long and 19metres wide it’s an impressive size and boasts three rudder propeller devices that will also be able to tackle other towing and rescue tasks.
