Russia starts construction of 2nd Project 21180M icebreaker Svyatogor.

According to information published by ВМФ РОССИИ on September 6, 2023, the Russian Navy officially initiated the construction of the new diesel-electric icebreaker, "Svyatogor," at the Almaz Shipbuilding Company. The "Svyatogor" is the second icebreaker under the 21180M project.
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Keel laying ceremony of the Project 21180M icebreaker Svyatogor. (Picture source: ВМФ РОССИИ)

Previously, the Almaz Shipbuilding Company delivered the lead diesel-electric icebreaker under project 21180M named "Evpatiy Kolovrat" to the Russian Navy.

The construction for "Evpatiy Kolovrat" began on December 12, 2018, and it was commissioned on November 24, 2020. Worth around 6 billion rubles, the state contract for this project was granted in 2017.

By January 15, 2023, the icebreaker embarked on a journey from St. Petersburg to Kamchatka, towed by the civilian tug "Sarmat." After a six-month journey, it arrived at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on July 22.

State tests are expected to be finalized by the end of the year. The "Evpatiy Kolovrat" is designed to serve primarily as a harbor icebreaker supporting the 25th submarine division in Vilyuchinsk, Kamchatka.

During the laying ceremony of "Evpatiy Kolovrat," it was announced that by 2027, the Navy plans to induct two icebreakers of this type. In March 2023, reports emerged about the approval of the second 21180M project icebreaker for the Northern Fleet, scheduled to be commissioned by the end of 2027, now laid down as "Svyatogor."

The 21180M project is a downsized and cost-effective version of the 21180 diesel-electric icebreaker, designed by Vympel Design Bureau in Nizhny Novgorod.

The Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg had earlier built the "Ilya Muromets" icebreaker under project 21180 with a full displacement of around 6,000 tons, which was delivered to the Russian Navy on November 30, 2017, and is now part of the Northern Fleet.

Initially, it was reported that the Russian Navy intended to build four icebreakers under the 21180 project. However, in early 2017, due to budget constraints, the Russian Ministry of Defence decided to abandon the 21180 series and transition to constructing shallower-draft icebreakers under the modified 21180M project with a full displacement of about 4,000 tons.

The 21180M icebreaker, based on published specifications, has a full displacement of 4,080 tons (compared to 6,000 tons of project 21180), length of 82m (85m), width of 19m (20m), and a draft of 4.6m (compared to 7m).

She boasts a cruising speed of 14 knots (15 knots), a range of 7,600 nautical miles (9,000 nautical miles), and her operational endurance has been halved to 30 days (from 60 days). The crew consists of 30 personnel (compared to 32), maintaining its ice-breaking capability at a level of 1 meter.