Moskva icebreaker

MS Moskva ("ледокол Москва") is an icebreaking vessel owned and operated by Rosmorport, a Russian FSUE ("Federal State Unitary Enterprise") established in 2012 by the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Transport.

The vessel (IMO number 9326574) is Russia-flagged (MMSI 273341120) and registered in Saint Petersburg.

Among Russia’s newest icebreakers, Moskva is named after the nation’s capital and largest city. In January 2011, Rosmorport FSUE took delivery of the diesel-electric icebreakers Moskva and Sankt Peterburg, both built by Baltic Shipyard and designed by Baltsudoproekt. Moskva represents a new generation of multipurpose Arctic icebreakers and is the first diesel-electric icebreaker built at a Russian shipyard since the fall of the USSR. Until then, all non-nuclear Russian icebreakers had been constructed abroad.

These vessels are designed to escort large-capacity oil tankers, rescue ships trapped in ice floes, fight fires on vessels in the Arctic Ocean, and assist in chemical and oil spill cleanups at sea.

Rosmorport’s Moskva itinerary program includes Arctic expedition and research cruises departing from her homeport, Saint Petersburg.

Moskva Icebreaker Vessel Details

Project 21900 and 21900M icebreakers (also known as LK-16) represent a series of five Russian-built icebreakers. Two vessels from Project 21900 (Sankt Peterburg and Moskva) were constructed at Baltic Shipyard in Saint Petersburg, while three Project 21900M ships were built at Vyborg Shipyard (Vyborg, Leningrad Oblast) and Arctech Helsinki Shipyard.

The main purpose of this class is to assist large-tonnage vessels and tow floating structures both in open water and in ice-covered seas.

Project 21900M icebreakers are classified by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS) as ice-class "Icebreaker6." All vessels in this series are designed for operations in the Baltic Sea and along Russia’s Northern Sea Route in the Arctic.

Their primary functions include towage, escorting large-capacity vessels, assisting ships in distress, firefighting on floating facilities, and transporting essential cargo.

MS Moskva is equipped with a dining room, sauna, indoor heated swimming pool, elevator, and helipad (helideck).

• Maximum Draft: 8.5 m (28 ft)
• Deadweight Tonnage (DWT): 5370 tons
• Displacement: 10,000 tons
• Icebreaking Capacity: 1.5 m (4.9 ft)
• Cargo Capacity: 33 TEUs (containers)
• Cargo Deck Area: 800 m² (8600 ft²)
• Range: 20,000 km (13,000 mi)
• Powerplant: Four diesel engines (6.75 MW each; total output 27 MW)
• Propulsion: Diesel-electric; two Steerprop azimuth thrusters (8.7 MW each; total output 17.4 MW)

Note: In areas with limited AIS coverage, tracking the vessel’s live position may not be possible. You can view CruiseMapper’s complete list of icebreakers and icebreaking research vessels in the "itinerary" section of our Icebreakers hub, where all fleets are listed by country.