VASILY DINKOV, KAPITAN GOTSKY, TIMOFEY GUZHENKO

Icebreaking shuttle tankers for transportation crude oil in Russian arctic region – from Varandey terminal in Pechora Sea to Murmansk without icebreaking assistance.

The three vessels have been successfully in operation since 2008.

Aker Arctic developed the original concept for the Dinkov‑series Arctic shuttle tankers, creating the design basis and the double‑acting operational principle that made year‑round independent Arctic oil transportation possible. In addition to developing the concept, Aker Arctic also supported Samsung Heavy Industries during the contract negotiation stage to ensure that the technical content, expectations and ice‑capable features of the vessels were fully aligned before the shipbuilding contract was signed.

After the contract entered into force, Aker Arctic arranged a series of technical workshops for Samsung. These sessions covered the special requirements of icebreaking vessels, including hull strengthening principles, propulsion arrangements for double‑acting operation, safe manoeuvring in ice, winterisation, and general aspects of cold‑climate ship operation. The workshops helped familiarise Samsung’s engineering and production teams with Arctic technology and ensured that the vessel’s performance targets were clearly understood.

This cooperation created a strong common understanding between the parties and supported the successful construction of the Dinkov‑class tankers, which later became benchmark vessels for independent Arctic shuttle tanker operations.