IBSV Manual for Operations in Ico R 2 5.4, Azimuth Icebreakers ‘The use of azimuth thrusters on icebreakers was a revolution. The azimuth units provide superior manoeuvrability and control, and the wake of the propulsion breaks and clears ice highly efficiently. This is useful for example in widening an escort channel, see Figure 5-3, Furthermore, the propulsion wake or suction can be used to clear the broken ice such as when breaking ridges with the stern of the vessel, or clearing accumulated rubble ice from docks or other structures, see Figure 5-4, Figure 5-3: Widening an Escort Channel (Fennica) =, Vessel's Speed Direction Figure 5-4: Clearing Broken Ice with Propulsion Suction 5-6 AKAC INC.IBSV Manual fr Operations in co SS Nate The first generation of major azimuth icebreakers, Fennica and Nordica, were truly multi-purpose vessels that were designed as Baltic escort icebreakers in the winter and North Sea offshore support vessels in the summer. This required that they be efficient icebreakers and escort vessels in the winter and act as good, stable working platforms, in big North Sea waves in the summer and into the fall. Higher open water resistance was a trade-off to accomplish this, which was consciously accepted at the time of vessel design. Because of their ability to clear ice wider than their beam and their excellent manoeuvrability in ice, they are significantly more efficient at escort than the previous generation of conventional icebreakers. For example running them with propeller wake pointing somewhat out, through an old multiple used channel through landfast ice can make this channel significantly easier for the commercial vessels to penetrate. This is a result of the propeller wake clearing the ice from the channel far outside of the channel, rather than leaving thick ice cheeks to the edges of such a channel. The Fennica shown in Figure 5-5 below is typical of the vessel described above. The hull form in the figure also shows features such as chines and newly designed round reamers. The support role in the summer requires a wide deck and long parallel mid body. Azimuth Icebreaker Hull Form Example, Fennica Figure 5-5: Typical Azimuth Icebreaker 57 AKAC INC.