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Kapitan Khlebnikov (icebreaker)
Encyclopedia
The Kapitan Khlebnikov is a Russia
n (formerly Soviet
) icebreaker
. The vessel now operates as a cruise ship
offering excursions to the Arctic
and Antarctic
.
in 1981 as one of five Kapitan Sorokin class icebreakers. She was refitted in 1990 as a tour ship. and was the first ship to circumnavigate Antarctica with passengers in 1996-97.
In February 2006 the Kapitan Khlebnikov reached the Bay of Whales
in the Antarctic, reaching 78° 40.871' south and equalling the record set by Roald Amundsen
in the Fram
in 1911.
In November 2009, the ship was briefly stuck in a bay near to Snow Hill Island
whilst carrying tourists and a BBC film crew. The ship was placed a few days behind schedule but not endangered.
Passenger accommodation is in 54 cabins and suites, with 2 dining rooms, a lounge and bar. Facilities include a heated indoor swimming pool, exercise room and sauna, theatre-style auditorium and shop. The library has a collection of polar-themed books.
The double hull has water ballast between, with pumps that can move ballast water at up to 74 tonnes a minute to aid ice breaking. The hull thickness is 45mm at the ice skirt and 25-35mm elsewhere. Friction between the ship and the ice is reduced by a polymer-paint coating at the level of the ice skirt. An air bubbling system helps ice breaking. Air can be forced under pressure from 2m above the keel from the bow to half way down the ship.
Quark Expeditions
is marking this End of an Era with a series of itineraries and special guests. The icebreaker will make a full circumnavigation of the Arctic from July 10, 2011 to September 13, 2011. The circumnavigation will last for 66 days and include helicopter tours and adventure activities.
:
The Guardian
reports that 101 passengers, mainly United Kingdom
citizens, were among the 184 trapped ship's complement.
Three of the UK passengers were a BBC
film crew, working on a documentary.
The documentary is scheduled to be broadcast in 2011, and the project is currently entitled "Frozen Planet".
The excursion was called the "Emperor Penguin Safari", and was arranged by an adventure travel firm called "Exodus".
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n (formerly Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) icebreaker
Icebreaker
An icebreaker is a special-purpose ship or boat designed to move and navigate through ice-covered waters. Although the term usually refers to ice-breaking ships, it may also refer to smaller vessels .For a ship to be considered an icebreaker, it requires three traits most...
. The vessel now operates as a cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
offering excursions to the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
and Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
.
History
The Kapitan Khlebnikov was completed in FinlandFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
in 1981 as one of five Kapitan Sorokin class icebreakers. She was refitted in 1990 as a tour ship. and was the first ship to circumnavigate Antarctica with passengers in 1996-97.
In February 2006 the Kapitan Khlebnikov reached the Bay of Whales
Bay of Whales
The Bay of Whales is a natural ice harbor, or iceport, indenting the front of Ross Ice Shelf just north of Roosevelt Island. It is the southernmost point of open ocean not only of the Ross Sea, but worldwide...
in the Antarctic, reaching 78° 40.871' south and equalling the record set by Roald Amundsen
Roald Amundsen
Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. He led the first Antarctic expedition to reach the South Pole between 1910 and 1912 and he was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles. He is also known as the first to traverse the Northwest Passage....
in the Fram
Fram
Fram is a ship that was used in expeditions of the Arctic and Antarctic regions by the Norwegian explorers Fridtjof Nansen, Otto Sverdrup, Oscar Wisting, and Roald Amundsen between 1893 and 1912...
in 1911.
In November 2009, the ship was briefly stuck in a bay near to Snow Hill Island
Snow Hill Island
Snow Hill Island is an almost completely snowcapped island, long and wide, lying off the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. It is separated from James Ross Island to the northeast by Admiralty Sound...
whilst carrying tourists and a BBC film crew. The ship was placed a few days behind schedule but not endangered.
Construction and layout
A polar-class icebreaker, combining power and technology with creature comforts, Kapitan Khlebnikov was originally designed for the rigors of northern Siberia. The vessel has twin-decks with superstructure and engine room in the middle, an icebreaker bow and transom stern. The stern region is cushioned to allow for the close towing of other vessels when helping them through the ice.Passenger accommodation is in 54 cabins and suites, with 2 dining rooms, a lounge and bar. Facilities include a heated indoor swimming pool, exercise room and sauna, theatre-style auditorium and shop. The library has a collection of polar-themed books.
The double hull has water ballast between, with pumps that can move ballast water at up to 74 tonnes a minute to aid ice breaking. The hull thickness is 45mm at the ice skirt and 25-35mm elsewhere. Friction between the ship and the ice is reduced by a polymer-paint coating at the level of the ice skirt. An air bubbling system helps ice breaking. Air can be forced under pressure from 2m above the keel from the bow to half way down the ship.
Service
In addition to charters for scientific missions, and for supplying mines and other resource exploitation industries, the vessel is chartered for adventure cruises.End of an Era
Kapitan Khlebnikov will retire as a passenger vessel in March 2012, returning to escort duties in the Russian Arctic.Quark Expeditions
Quark Expeditions
Quark Expeditions was founded in 1991 by Lars Wikander and Mike McDowell, specializing in expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic aboard purpose-built expedition vessels. In 1998, Lars Wikander became the majority owner of the company....
is marking this End of an Era with a series of itineraries and special guests. The icebreaker will make a full circumnavigation of the Arctic from July 10, 2011 to September 13, 2011. The circumnavigation will last for 66 days and include helicopter tours and adventure activities.
See also
She is one of four large icebreakers operated by the Far East Shipping CompanyFar East Shipping Company
The Far East Shipping Company is a Russian ship-owning company and the base company of FESCO Group. Founded in the 19th century in Vladivostok, the company now owns a fleet of 50 vessels, totaling 880 thsd DWT.- Share capital and management :...
:
- Icebreaker Admiral MakarovIcebreaker Admiral MakarovThe Icebreaker Admiral Makarov is a large Russian icebreaker operated by the Far East Shipping Company . Completed in 1975, she is FESCO's oldest icebreaker. Admiral Makarov and her sister ship Krasin , are the largest of the four icebreakers in FESCO's fleet...
- Icebreaker MagadanIcebreaker MagadanThe Icebreaker Magadan is a large modern Russian icebreaker.She was completed in 1982and is the smallest of Fesco Transport Group's fleet of five icebreakers.-Specifications:-Service:*2006: chartered by a joint expedition to survey Walrus abundance....
- Icebreaker Krasin
Stuck in the ice
The Kapitan Khlebnikov was trapped in Antarctic ice in mid November 2009.The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
reports that 101 passengers, mainly United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
citizens, were among the 184 trapped ship's complement.
Three of the UK passengers were a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
film crew, working on a documentary.
The documentary is scheduled to be broadcast in 2011, and the project is currently entitled "Frozen Planet".
The excursion was called the "Emperor Penguin Safari", and was arranged by an adventure travel firm called "Exodus".
External links
- General information on the Kapitan Khlebnikov at Quark Expeditions - Hughes describes his journey on the Kapitan Khlebnikov