Icebreakers (Ships)

Icebreaker Design Synthesis Analysis of Contemporary Icebreaker Performance

by Arno J. Keinonen

This project studied the icebreaking technology of seven icebreakers developed for oil companies in the Beaufort Sea. Each of the vessels has design features which have not been used on icebreakers before. The full-scale data for the ships were analyzed, and comparisons made between the performances of the different ships. The results were then used to determine the dependencies of performance on variations in design parameters. The information from all the methodologies has been combined to give the ship designer and operator practical information on how the unique design features of these ships can be assembled in the design process to meet the performance requirements of a mission profile.