New sea-going diesel-electric icebreakers of 21900M project, Vladivostok and Murmansk, will be tested under the extreme conditions of the Northern Sea Route, the manufacturing plant's General Director Alexander Solovyov told TASS news agency. Both vessels were constructed at Vyborg Shipyard in the Leningrad Region for the company Rosmorport.

"We need heavy ice and we will look for ice ridges and fast ice. Only extreme conditions will allow us to properly monitor the vessel's performance," Mr. Solovyov explained.

On Tuesday, the vessels set off for Murmansk from the Gulf of Finland. The icebreakers will later stop in the waters of the western sector of the Arctic. There under different navigational conditions their icebreaking capability and the work of engines, mechanisms and equipment will be put to the test.

According to the TASS news agency, the lead icebreaker, Vladivostok, was placed at the contractor's disposal in October 2015 and the second vessel of the series, Murmansk, in December 2015. These vessels will be able to break ice 1.5m thick and will be used in the Baltic, White and other freezing seas and on Arctic routes.

Icebreakers of project 21900M have improved capabilities that were developed based on the experiences gained from the performance of previous series' vessels. Their main designation is the independent escort of large cargo carriers, towing of other vessels, and fire extinguishing of floating facilities and other venues, while also offering assistance for wrecked vessels, and hauling valuable freight. The third vessel of the series, Novorossiisk, will be at the contractor's disposal in late 2016.