The Russian Navy’s diesel-electric icebreaker ‘Ilya Muromets’ arrived at its Northern Fleet homeport on January 2, the Russian Navy announced.
The ship’s crew made their first crossing from the Baltic Sea to the Kola Bay and were welcomed in Severomorsk by Northern Fleet commander Admiral Nikolay Evmenov.
Project 21180 icebreaker ‘Ilya Muromets’ was commissioned in a ceremony at the Admiralty Shipyards on November 30, 2017, after passing builder’s and state trials.
The Russian Navy said the vessel is expected to be ready for regular operations in the near future.
Ilya Muromets is the first icebreaker built for the navy in 40 years and it is likely to remain the only vessel in its class due to high construction costs.
The vessel started construction on April 23, 2015 and was launched on June 10, 2016.
In addition to ice-breaking activities, the vessel is capable of carrying out hydrographic and hydrometeorological research.
Ilya Muromets is 85 meters long and 20 meters wide with a draft of 6.8 meters. It displaces 6000 tons and is crewed by 39 sailors. According to the shipbuilder, the icebreaker can stay at sea for two months.