The ice-resistant self-propelled platform “Severny Polyus” (North Pole in Russian) built at St. Petersburg-based Admiralty Shipyard has completed her first expedition, United Shipbuilding Corporation said in a statement.
The platform delivered the shift of the North Pole 41 expedition to Murmansk after 20 months in the Arctic Ocean where they were collecting unique data on the Arctic environment.
The construction of the “Severny Polyus” started in April 2019,and in August 2022 the platform was delivered to the customer, the RF Hydrometeorology Service.
The platform is designed as a fully-functional research center and is aimed for year-round missions in the Arctic Ocean to conduct geologic, acoustic, geophysical and oceanographic studies.
The vessel is capable of operating in ice conditions without the assistance of an icebreaker and can serve as a landing ground for heavy transport helicopters.
The 83.1 m LOA, 22.5 beam Arc8 platform has a speed of at least 10 knots and can accommodate 14 crew members and 34 researchers.
Photo: United Shipbuilding Corp / Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute