Atomflot FSUE (Rosatom’s company) jointly with NSR General Administration FSBI ensured the berthing of ships for their unloading on fast ice platforms at the port points of Tanalau, Vorontsovo and Karaul of the Yenisei River. The nuclear-powered icebreakers Ural and Vaygach assisted the ships. This operation is considered one of the most difficult in the Arctic.

 “Сoastal hydrologists coordinate the operation on site,” noted Leonid Irlitsa, Director General of Atomflot FSUE. “The navigators are required to use all their skills: it is necessary to position the icebreaker exactly along the axis of the slot in the ice, and then bring the ship into this approach canal, which must be done on the first try. If the navigator misses the center line, the fast ice will be broken and a new place for unloading will need to be found.”

The vessels “Cape Shmidta”, “Captain Danilkin”, “Valery Vasiliev” and “Yamal Irbis” delivered construction materials to the port points of Tanalau, Vorontsovo and Karaul.

 “The fast ice platforms are planned to be used until the end of the first ten days of May,” said Vladimir Arutyunyan, First Deputy Director General – Head of the Marine Operations HQs of the NSR General Administration FSBI. “We are faced with the task of organizing an effective logistics scheme to ensure timely arrival of ships at port points.”

A highly professional berthing of a vessel at an ice platform takes experienced captains less than two hours. However, this is preceded by a significant amount of work including selection of an unloading site, setting of landmarks, preparation of slots at the berth and marking of the axis of the approach canal.

Background

The main activities of Rosatomflot (Rosatom’s company) include icebreaking assistance for ships passing along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) to the freezing ports of the Russian Federation; support for high-latitude research expeditions; emergency rescue operations in ice in the waters of the Northern Sea Route and non-Arctic freezing seas. In addition, the company does general and special-purpose maintenance and repairs for its own needs and for the needs of third-party shipowners, while also being involved in environmental rehabilitation activities in the North-West region of Russia and arranging tourist cruises to the North Pole, islands and archipelagos of the Central Arctic.

The comprehensive development of the Russian Arctic is considered a national strategic priority. To increase the NSR traffic is crucial for the fulfilment of the tasks set in the field of cargo shipping. This logistics corridor is being developed due to the organization of cargo shipping on a regular basis, construction of new nuclear icebreakers and modernization of the relevant infrastructure. Rosatom companies are actively involved in these activities.