Krasin (icebreaker)

The "Krasin" (Russian: Красин) is a Russian (formerly Soviet) icebreaker. The vessel operates in polar regions.

History

The ship was built at the Helsinki New Shipyard in Helsinki, Finland in 1976.

Design

The second "Krasin" is an A1-class, triple-screw, four-deck icebreaker owned by the Far East Shipping Company (FESCO) and is based in Vladivostok. The hull has a friction-reducing coating. [cite web| url=http://www.usap.gov/conferencesCommitteesAndWorkshops/userCommittees/documents/ARVOCJune2006McM05-06IcebreakRsplyRpt.pdf| title=Ship Resupply 2005/2006| publisher=U.S. Antarctic Program| accessdate=2008-07-20]

"Krasin" can break ice six feet thick.cite web| url=http://www.newzeal.com/theme/Ships/Russia/krasin.htm| title="Krasin"| publisher=Antarctic Philately| accessdate=2008-07-20]

ervice

During the 2004-2005 season (Operation Deep Freeze 2005), the United States Antarctic Program hired the "Krasin" as a secondary vessel to help clear a channel to McMurdo Station [cite web| url=http://www.rusembcanada.mid.ru/pr/211204_1_e.html| title=Russian Ice-Breaker "Krasin" Heading for Antarctic to Rescue U.S. Polar Station McMurdo | publisher=Russian Embassy Press Release| date=21.12.04| accessdate=2008-07-20] because the Coast Guard icebreaker Polar Star faced a record 90+ mile cut through fast ice. The "Krasin" departed Vladivostok on December 21st, 2004 and arrived at the Ross Sea ice edge one month later. After Polar Star made the initial cut to McMurdo, "Krasin" assisted by grooming (widening) the thin outer channel, which consisted of first-year ice. Meanwhile, Polar Star broke the thicker, much denser multi-year ice near the station. [cite web |url=http://www.usatoday.com/weather/resources/coldscience/2005-02-06-mcmurdo-ships_x.htm |title=U.S., Russian icebreakers open path to Antarctic base| accessdate=2008-01-09| date=February 6, 2005| publisher=USA Today]

The "Krasin" departed the Ross Sea on the 9th of February, reaching Vladivostok on March 5th 2005. She is unlikely to return to the Antarctic as FESCO have signed a multi-year contract for "Krasin" to support oil rig operations in the Sea of Okhotsk from March 2005 onwards. Along with her sister ship "Icebreaker Admiral Makarov", "Krasin" has been providing winter escort to large capacity tankers from the port of De-Castri (Khabarovsk) as part of the Sakhalin-I project. [cite web| url=http://vladivostoktimes.com/show.php?id=5592| title=Ice Breakers left Vladivostok for Sakhalin Coast| publisher=Vladivostok Times| date=December 24 2006| accessdate=2008-07-20] During the summer months she provides escort on the Northern Sea Route to the Eastern sector of Arctic servicing sea terminals of North Chukotka. [cite web| url=http://www.fesco.ru/en/press-center/news/2007-07-18-02063| title=Icebreaker the Krasin pursued to East Arctic| publisher=FESCO| accessdate=2008-07-20]

ister ships

She is one of five large icebreakers operated by the Far East Shipping Company:
*"Icebreaker Admiral Makarov"
*"Icebreaker Magadan"
*"Icebreaker Sakhalin"
*Icebreaker "Kapitan Khlebnikov"

References

External links

* [http://www.southpolestation.com/news/archive.html Account of "Krasin's" expedition to McMurdo Sound.]