Strong ice is not a hindrance: two icebreakers, “Rif” and “Nord”, are on duty daily on the Moscow River

The water area of ​​the main water artery of the capital turns out to be in ice shackles every winter. Despite the fact that the navigation season is coming to an end, ships of the municipal and emergency services of the city continue to sail along the Moscow River. It happens that ice interferes with their free movement. Fortunately, the Rif and Nord icebreakers come to the rescue every day. They also free ships moored at the berths from ice shackles. The correspondent of “My House Moscow” boarded one of the communal icebreakers to see with his own eyes the cleft of ice that bound the river in the backwater of Novinki.

The technical fleet of State Unitary Enterprise “Mosvodostok” of the City Economy Complex of the City of Moscow has two icebreakers – “Rif” and “Nord”, which are on duty daily on the Moscow River in winter. Both vessels are capable of breaking through ice up to 20 cm thick. They are so strong that they could even cope with work in the ports of the Arctic seas.

According to Grigory Pryamushko, Head of the Mosvodostok fleet, the icebreaking vessels are designed for icebreaking and towing operations on rivers, lakes and reservoirs. The duty shift of the icebreaker crew consists of three people: the captain of the ship, the helmsman and the sailor.

“The main task of these vessels in the inter-navigation period is to provide ice assistance to vessels of the communal technical fleet of SUE Mosvodostok in case of emergency, as well as vessels of other departments, including emergency services of the city of Moscow,” said Grigory Pryamushko.

In summer, icebreakers are used as tugboats for non-self-propelled barges and scows. The vessels also help the utility fleet collect debris and clean up contaminants from the surface of the water.

According to experts, icebreakers differ from conventional river vessels due to some technical characteristics. The robust hull of icebreaking ships has a reinforced bow and side parts that are capable of breaking through ice barriers up to 20 cm thick. At the same time, icebreakers are capable of accelerating up to 7.5 km/h.

“Throughout the winter, the Rif and Nord icebreakers enter the waters of the Moskva River every day. Here they carry out the processing of base sites in order to prepare the rivers for the exit of the ships of the municipal fleet of the city. Other shipowners can also ask for the help of icebreakers,” Grigory Pryamushko said.

He clarified that both ships were created at the Kostroma Shipbuilding Plant.

“Rif” was built in 1969, and “Nord” – in 1976, but the characteristics laid down by Russian shipbuilding engineers allow the vessel to be successfully operated to this day, ”the specialist noted.

In winter, the company’s employees continue to service the Moskva River. Applications from the central control room related to pollution are regularly processed.

Yulia Smagrinskaya.

Photo and video of the author

According to the materials “My House Moscow»