Built as an icebreaker under yard No 345 on the yard of the Vulcan-Werke, Stettin, Germany for account of the Russian Maritime Board.
Launched as the TSAR MIKHAIL TEODOROVICH. (also given as TSAR MIKIHAIL FYODOROVICH.)
Tonnage 2.391 grt, 838 net, 1.534 dwt, dim. 75.4 x 19.2 x 5.7m. (draught), length bpp. 72.1m.
Powered by three triple expansion steam engines, 9 boilers, oil fired, total power 5.800 ihp., speed 13.5 knots.
Three shafts, one foreword two aft.
Crew 9 officers and 34 men.
March 1914 completed.
October 1917 under control of the Red Navy and renamed VOLYNETS (WOLYNETS.)
In use as a troop transport between Kronstadt and Helsinki.
29 March 1918 captured by the Finnish anti communist forces, after she sailed to Tallinn, where the Russian crew were landed, and most probably taken prison.
Sailed the again for Finland under Finnish flag under the name Wäinamöinen, an other source gives Väinämöinen, the names comes from the epos of the famous Finnish hero Kalevala.
After the peace of 1920 in Estonia, transferred to that country and renamed SUUR TÖLL what means “Great Custom Station”.
After Estonia was occupied by the Russian forces in 1940 she was taken up by the Russian Navy and renamed in VOLYNETS with homeport Leningrad.
During World War II damaged during German air-raids in the Gulf of Finland off Cape Juminda, but she managed to sail to Kronstadt.
Between 1951 and 1952 underwent a complete overhaul and repair on the yard of Rauma Repola Sy, Rauma in Finland.
1985 Out of service and laid up in Leningrad.
1988 Returned to Tallinn, Estonia and renamed in SUUR TÖLL, but still under Russian registry and flag.
January 1992 again under the flag of Estonia and she is moored as a museum ship near the Estonian Maritime Museum in Tallinn.
2009 Still there.
Estonia 1996 2k50 sg 279, scott 308.
Source: Blauwe Wimpel. Marine News.