 The hull form of the ship, a result of intensive model tests in both open water and model ice, was very different from that of conventional merchant vessels, being more akin to polar icebreakers than traditional cargo ships.However, in addition to good icebreaking and manoeuvring capabilities in various ice conditions the vessel had to be able to operate in open water without bottom slamming or shipping of green water occurring in rough seas.Despite the compromises the ship had impressive icebreaking capability — the SA-15 class ships were designed to break level ice up to one metre () in thickness with a snow layer of in continuous motion without icebreaker assistance.