Russia, Finland to build icebreakers for Arctic region
Russia and Finland have set up a joint company for building ships that can navigate the High Arctic. The two first icebreakers have now been ordered from the new company.
The joint-venture company, called Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Oy, has already received an order worth $200 million for the construction of two icebreakers, which are meant for heavy ice conditions and which can operate independently in 1.7 meter thick ice and in temperatures as low as minus 35 degrees Celsius, Voice of Russia reports.
These two first icebreakers will service the sea-based oil deposit in the Far East.
The agreement to establish the joint venture was signed by Prime Minister Putin and his Finnish counterpart Mari Kiviniemi when they met in St. Petersburg earlier this month. The Russian United Shipbuilding Corporation and Finnish STX Finland have equal shares in the company.
In the period to 2020 Russia will need 60 ships at the minimum. 18 out of these 60 are tankers, and 9 are icebreakers, including 3 nuclear-powered icebreakers, Voice of Russia writes.
Read also: Upcoming tender for new nuclear icebreaker
