Wärtsilä has inked a contract with Russia’s Ruselprom Group to outfit two new icebreakers with engines that can operate in super arctic conditions.

Designed by Aker Arctic for Gazprom Neft, the vessels are under construction at Russia’s PJSC Vyborg Shipyard. Once delivered in 2017, the icebreakers will be operated from Novy Port in the north of Russia, where temperatures fall as low as -50°C, and sea ice is up to 2 m thick.

Few engines are able to operate efficiently with such low air suction temperatures, but Wärtsilä will supply each vessel with two 16-cylinder and two 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 32 engines and one 6-cylinder Wärtsilä 20 engine. Delivery is slated to begin in summer 2016.

“The novel Aker ARC 130 A concept design represents the latest developments in icebreaking technology, which Aker Arctic has now adapted also for Arctic vessels. The Wärtsilä gensets, together with the arctic package, provide remarkable energy savings in extreme operating conditions," said Mika Hovilainen, project manager at Aker Arctic Technology.

"These vessels operate in the toughest possible conditions and it is, therefore, important that the power generators selected are the best available," added area sales director Johan Hanstén, Wärtsilä.