 These ships, designed to be capable of independent operation in arctic ice conditions, were of extremely robust design and had strengthened hulls resembling those of polar icebreakers.Initially delivered to the (then) state-owned Murmansk Shipping Company and later handed over to its subsidiary, NB Shipping, "Monchegorsk" sailed under the Soviet and later Russian flag until 1993, after which she was registered to Cyprus.She was sold for recycling in China in late 2009 after 26 years of service.