MV Baltika, a 7.5 MW icebreaker built to Russian Register of Shipping Class by OAO Shipyard Yantar and Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, has just completed sea trials, but to the disappointment for everyone involved, there was no ice in the Gulf of Finland.

The photo below is a model of the “HD” version of the Baltika which the asymmetrical hull form which allows it to be steered via Azipods in an oblique fashion creating a larger icebreaking swath while guiding ships with larger beams.

Image: Rob Almeida/gCaptain

In a conversation with Markku Kajosaari, Manager, Concept Development at Arctech Finland, he notes, “the vessel operated as planned and the maneuverability and control of the vessel was good in open water situations.”

The vessel encountered some heavy seas during its trial and while in oblique-mode, the sea trial team noted some spray coming over the bow, but nothing out of the ordinary according to Kajosaari.

The ship will be operated by FBI Gosmorspassluzhba of Russia on behalf of the FGI Directorate of State Contracting Authority for Marine Transport Development Programmes.

Read: “Sideways” Icebreaker Launched at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard

“For Russian Maritime Register of Shipping it is a fair assumption to say that the ships built now are capable of solving tasks that were unthinkable and unfeasible as far as two decades back. In this sense, the design of the Baltika, an icebreaker with oblique hull, is virtually unique”, noted Sergey N. Sedov, Chief Executive Officer of Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.

Main particulars:

Length 76.4 m

Breadth overall 20.5 m

Draught 6.3 m

Propulsion power 7.5 ?W

Speed 14 knots

Speed in flat ice 1.0 m thick 3.0 knots

Crew 24

Special personnel 12

Sea endurance 20 days (24 persons)

Class: Russian Maritime Register of Shipping

Class notation: KM?Icebreaker6, [1], AUT1-ICS, OMBO, FF3WS, EPP, DYNPOS-1, ECO-S, Oil recovery ship (>60°C), Salvage ship, Tug, HELIDECK.