Aker Arctic’s ARC100HD – A Powerful, and Unusual Icebreaker

Aker Arctic’s ARC100HD Icebreaker

At first glance, very little about this new icebreaker looks right.  The port side shares almost nothing in common with the starboard side and even the bridge doesn’t appear to be facing the right direction.

This was a very deliberate design consideration by the naval architects at Aker Arctic however, one that gives the ARC100 some very unique abilities while operating in first-year arctic ice.

Every other icebreaker in the world accomplishes its job while moving forward or astern, except for the ARC100.  This new icebreaker is able to operate as an icebreaker in any direction, and as the diagram below shows, use this to its advantage by increasing its virtual beam to create channels in the ice for ships with wider beams.

At the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas this week, Aker Arctic announced they have followed up their ARC 100 design (which is currently under construction at OJSC Yantar and Helsinki’s Arctech yards) with an “HD” version that is 22 meters longer and with 2.5 times the bollard pull.

UPDATE: First ARC100 Launched at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard

The ARC100HD has also been through a plethora of model tests at Aker Arctic’s facility in Helsinki, Finland which have demonstrated the vessel’s ability to break through 1.5m thick ice when moving ahead and astern at 5 knots (2 knots through 2m thick ice). In the oblique mode, the vessel will be able to cut a 50m wide channel through 1.5m thick ice.

The target areas of operation include:

• Chukchi Sea
• Beaufort Sea (extended season)
• Pechora Sea
• Kara Sea
• Ob Bay
• Okhotsk Sea

In addition to oil response, this vessel will also be outfitted with features that provide advanced oil response capabilities in an arctic environment. As the image below shows, the vessel deploys a boom arm and uses the full length of the hull to funnel oil to the on board collector tanks for oil separation.  This system allows oil recovery in heavy seas.

Mikko Niini, Managing Director of Aker Arctic Technology commented on this new vessel:

“This project is a significant milestone for icebreaker expertise, as it shows the way design and construction efforts are keeping pace with continuing demand for harder to recover energy sources”, says

“With the awarding of drilling permits in the Arctic subject to increasing scrutiny, this is another example of Aker Arctic Technology’s commitment to meeting the challenges set by nature.”

Vessel Particulars:

• Length over all: 98.0 m
• Length at dwl: 87.0 m
• Breadth over all: 26.0 m
• Breadth at dwl: 24.4 m
• Draught, minimum operating: 7.0 m
• Draught at design waterline: 8.0 m
• Draught maximum: 8.5 m
• Depth to main deck: 11.0 m
• Bollard pull: 190 tons
• Propulsion Power: 3 x 6500 kW = 19500 kW
• Main engine power: 2 x 8000 kW
 + 2 x 4000 kW = 24000 kW
• Accommodation: 40
• Deadweight at dwl: 2300 tons
• Deadweight max: 3200 tons
• Fuel oil: 2500 m3
• Recovered oil: 1500 m3
• Fresh water: 250 m3
• Urea: 250 m3
• Cargo deck area: abt 600 m2
• Cargo deck capacity: 5 tons / m2
• Deck crane: 15 tons / 25 m
• Double drum towing winch: 250 tons
• Fully enclosed life boats: 2 x 40 person
• Fast rescue boat: 3 + 12 person
• Classification:
• RMRS KM * Icebreaker7 or IACS Icebreaker PC3, [2], AUT1-ICS, OMBO, FF3WS, EPP, DYNPOS-1, ECO-S, Oil recovery ship (>60°C)
• Autonomy time: 30 days

• Operation range: 10000 NM