Russian Research Vessel rescued from the Kara Sea, September 2024
The PP Shirshov Institute Research Vessel “Akademik Nikolay Strakhov” was stranded in the Kara Sea for two weeks before being towed back to Murmansk.
The Russian PP Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IO RAS) owned and operated Research Vessel (RV) “Akademik Nikolay Strakhov” departed Murmansk on 29 August 2024 to conduct geo/hydro physical studies, map bottom topography on the Barents-Kara shelf in the Laptev Sea and analyze natural phenomena affecting safety along the Northern Sea Route (expedition voyage number 58).
On 5 September 2024, Strakhov experienced a propulsion defect (thought to be a cylinder failure within the main engine) while in the Kara Sea, north of the Ob peninsula, around 25NM north east of Bely island. Defect rectification by the crew was unsuccessful and IO RAS management considered a number of measures including towing the vessel to nearby ports in the Gulf of Ob and evacuation of the scientific staff to RV Akademik Mstislav Keldysh which was conducting survey tasking for the Kurchatov Institute on the east coast of Yuzhny island; however, these measures were not implemented.
On 15 September, the rescue tug “Murman”, subordinate to the Russian Federal Maritime Safety service (MORSPASLUZHBA), departed homeport Murmansk towards the Kara Sea. Having arrived in Ob Bay on 19 September, rescue tug Murman took RV Nikolay Strakhov under tow back to Murmansk where both vessels arrived on 27 September 2024.
On arrival in Murmansk, Akademik Strakhov was greeted by the Deputy Director of IO RAS (Research) Vyacheslav Kremenetsky and Deputy Director IO RAS (Fleet) Denis Zlygostev. Regarding the incident, both dignitaries released the following statements:
“During this entire time, the situation with the R/V Akademik Nikolay Strakhov was under the round-the-clock control of the IO RAS management, reports from the vessel were transmitted to the Marine Rescue Service every 4 hours. The life support systems and emergency diesel generators were operating normally, there was no threat to the lives and health of people,” said Denis Zlygostev.
“We are glad that the rescue operation has successfully come to an end and our colleagues will soon be heading home. For our part, we will have to clarify the circumstances of the incident and establish the cause of the breakdown,” said Vyacheslav Kremenetsky.
Today, some two months after the incident, RV Akademik Nikolay Strakhov remains in port Murmansk undergoing repairs. PP Shirshov Western Fleet vessels usually complete scientific tasking and return to Kaliningrad by late December however, it seems likely Akademik Nikolay Strakhov may have to over-winter in Murmansk rather than Kaliningrad this year.