[161115.EN.SEA] Russian Researchers Come Up With Conceptual Design For Arctic Containership

RUSSIA's Central Marine Research and Design Institute (CNIIMF) has presented a conceptual design for an Arctic containership to the Science & Technology Council.

It was developed in collaboration with the Marine Engineering Bureau as a research & development project under the state contract with Federal Marine and River Transport Agency (Rosmorrechflot).

The concept of an ice-going container carrier for the Northern Sea Route is based on round-the-year operation of an Arctic container line.

The route would handle cargo traffic between Europe and Asia via two large hub ports being built in Russia, namely at Murmansk and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, reported Port News online.

Based on the research and the feasibility study, four variants of a containership have been presented. Three of them are Arc7 class ships with equal power and the capacity ranging between 2,000 and 4,000 TEU. The forth one, 4,000 TEU in capacity, has a higher ice class and the power sufficient for independent navigation in ice covered waters.

The calculations were based on two types of icebreaker support, for both designed cargo base and full carrying capacity.

Cost-effectiveness analysis made for the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Murmansk line showed the best capacity/operational costs balance would be for an Arc7 ship with a 3,000-TEU capacity operating on IFO-180 which would make some 20 voyages per year and carry a total of 46,000 TEU per year, with a payback period of 17.5 years.

Icebreaking capability with the designed draught should be at least 2.1 metres for both ahead and astern running.

Source : HKSG.