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January 2011 www.sname.org/sname/mt older experience may be outdated and per- haps new thinking is needed. NSR. Ô F / 4 3 I B T B M X B Z T C F F O D P O T J E F S F E U P C F 3 V T T J B O O B U J P O B M X B U F S T B O E U I F 3 V T T J B O Soviet government has considered it to be B T U S B U F H J D B S F B $ P N N F S D J B M B D D F T T U P U I F O P S U I F S O 3 V T T J B O D P B T U I B T C F F O S F T U S J D U F E in many ways, despite foreign vessels occa- sionally being allowed to enter. e decisions of the 1970s began the next F S B J O U I F E F W F M P Q N F O U P G U S BA D J O U I F / 4 3 A eet of vessels was built, including large, 75,000 hp. nuclear icebreakers of the Arktika class; shallow-draft, 22000 hp. icebreakers P G U I F , B Q J U B O 4 P S P L J O D M B T T E X U bulk carriers of the Dimitri Donskoi class; and 15,000 dwt. multipurpose cargo vessels of the Norilsk class. * O U I F F B S M Z T 3 V T T J B O J D F C S F B L ers began making experimental voyages to U I F / P S U I 1 P M F B O E B M T P U S B O T J U J O H G S P N U I F Barents Sea to the Bering Strait through the F O U J S F M F O H U I P G U I F / 4 3 As it became clear that vessels with sufficient icebreaking ability could sail U I S P V H I U I F / 4 3 F W F O E V S J O H M B U F T F B T P O / P W F N C F S % F D F N C F S J U X B T F R V B M M Z obvious that, without proper type and properly-dimensioned vessels, the transit would be di cult. is became reality in November 1983, as a convoy of ships tried to sail towards the east and became trapped in the East Siberian Sea as the polar pack happened to penetrate closer to the coast than nor- mal. A small cargo vessel sank and the whole con- voy had to turn back. Some made it all the way back to Murmansk, and some had to winter in the shelter ports along the northern coast. Later on in the 1980s, two more shallow-draft icebreakers were built for the Norilsk trade, Taymyr and Vaygach , both of which were 50,000 hp. vessels. e 1990s was a quiet period in the region; no new vessels were built and, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, tra c basically disappeared and the ton- O B H F X B T B H J O H $ S P T T J O H U I F , B S B 4 F B normal practice was for large icebreakers to tow cargo ships through the ice; such convoys generally consisted of two ice- breakers and one cargo ship. Such a model is not cost-e ective. In early 2000, development finally started to take place. The oil industry ê O B M M Z H P U B G P P U I P M E J O U I F 1 F D I P S B 4 F B B U U I F H B U F U P U I F / 4 3 " M T P U I F H P W F S O N F O U monopoly in icebreaking began to ease as a new type of independent vessel was introduced to handle the Norilsk trade. Simultaneously, in the Baltic, the Double Acting Ship concept was introduced, and two 106,000 dwt. crude oil tankers were built. These have been operating inde- pendently since 2003 without icebreaker assistance. Experience in this technology was gained in the sub-arctic conditions; this acted as a driver to begin vessel proj- ects for more demanding conditions. Norilsk Nickel began operating the rst J O E F Q F O E F O U U S B O T Q P S U T Z T U F N X J U I P V U J D F C S F B L F S B T T J T U B O D F J O U I F / 4 3 C F U X F F O Murmansk and Dudinka, in 2006. The experience on the 15,000 dwt. Norilskiy Nickel over the last four seasons has shown that the vessel is able to operate in winter with an average speed of 9-10 knots, which is just 2-3 knots less than during the open- water season. is success has inspired the owner to increase the eet to ve container vessels and a tanker. 5 I F P J M B O E H B T J O E V T U S J F T J O 3 V T T J B also are interested in moving to the north. O shore operations in ice have started in sub-arctic conditions around the north- ern Sakhalin Island, and the industry has moved to the Barents Sea, the gate area of U I F / 4 3 5 S B O T Q P S U P G P J M I B T B M S F B E Z T U B S U F E J O U I F 1 F D I P S B 4 F B X I F S F U X P U S B O T Q P S U B tion systems have been developed using the same main principle in vessel operation as that of Norilsk Nickel. Oil export from the Varandey area through an o shore loading facility has been Taymyr , a 50,000 hp. shallow- draft icebreaker, was built during the 1980s for the Norilsk trade. November 1983: A convoy of ships sailing east becomes trapped in the East Siberian Sea when the polar pack penetrates closer to the coast than normal. A small cargo vessel sank and the whole convoy had to turn back.