Icebreaking vessel

An icebreaking vessel for breaking large pieces of ice in a surface area of water in proximity of an offshore installation, said vessel comprising:

• a hull having at least one propeller, said hull including a substantially straight internal passage that extends from an underwater opening defined in a lower wall of the hull, wherein said lower wall further defines a flat bottom on said hull, between a mid section of the vessel and one of a bow and a stern of the vessel, to an opening in a top deck of the vessel adjacent to a winch, wherein said flat bottom is positioned deeper than said at least one propeller and wherein the bow and stern are configured with an icebreaking portion;
• an anchor deployable in an anchor line at a distance from the vessel, wherein the winch is configured to wind or unwind the anchor line through the internal passage;
• and
• motive power means for moving the vessel while it is anchored;
• wherein said hull is a monohull and said vessel is capable of performing icebreaking tasks while it is anchored, and said vessel is movable across a surface area of the water which has a significantly larger expanse than the expanse of the vessel by means of the motive power means or the anchor handling winch.

An icebreaking vessel for use in proximity to an offshore installation in an area containing drifting ice, said vessel comprising:

• a hull having at least one hull portion;
• a hull extending at least partially under water and having a water line;
• at
• least one propeller extending out of said hull under the water line;
• said at least one hull portion having a lower wall being positioned deeper than said at least one propeller, wherein said lower wall of said at least one hull portion defines a flat bottom on said hull;
• a substantially straight internal passage that extends from an underwater opening defined in the lower wall of the at least one hull portion, between a mid section of the vessel and one of a bow and a stern of the vessel, to an opening in a top deck of the vessel adjacent to a winch, wherein the bow and stern are configured with an icebreaking portion;
• and
• an anchor connected to said vessel via an anchor line, said anchor line extending through said a substantially straight internal passage;
• wherein said hull is a monohull and said vessel is capable of performing icebreaking tasks while anchored.

A vessel having an icebreaking hull to break ice in a surface area of water in proximity of an offshore installation, said vessel comprising:

• a hull having at least one propeller, said hull including a substantially straight internal passage that extends from an underwater opening defined in a lower wall of the hull, between a mid section of the vessel and one of a bow and a stern of the vessel, to an opening in a top deck of the vessel adjacent to a winch, wherein said lower wall defines a flat bottom on said hull, wherein the bow and wherein said lower wall is positioned deeper than said at least one propeller and stern are configured with an icebreaking portion;
• an anchor deployable in an anchor line at a distance from the vessel, wherein the winch is configured to wind or unwind an anchor line through the substantially straight internal passage;
• and
• motive power means for moving the vessel while it is anchored;
• wherein said hull is a monohull and said vessel is capable of performing icebreaking tasks while it is anchored and said vessel being movable across a surface area of the water which has a significantly larger expanse than the expanse of the vessel.