Russia Launches World’s Most Powerful Nuclear Icebreaker (Photos)

🇷🇺 Russia launched a new nuclear-powered icebreaker named Chukotka. The latest vessel has joined the fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers. The launch was overseen by Russian President Vladimir Putin via video link.

The vessel in the Russia’s Project 22220 series is expected to have a life of 40 years and can endure extreme Arctic conditions. It can also plow through ice up to 2.8 meters (9.2 feet) thick.

The launch is aimed at boosting cargo traffic on the Northern Sea Route.

Putin emphasized that expanding Russia’s icebreaker fleet is key to developing Arctic territories.

“I would like to repeat that our plans to develop our Arctic territories and to increase cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route rely on expanding Russia’s icebreaker fleet,” said Putin.

“We have ambitious plans in this area. There is a great deal to be done. In this context, I suggest holding a special meeting on this subject, thoroughly preparing and comprehensively discussing all aspects of advanced development of the Northern Sea Route, so that we find concrete practical solutions.”

Three new-generation nuclear-powered vessels – the Arktika, Sibir, and Ural – have been floated out from the Baltic Shipyard and are now working in the waters of the Northern Sea Route.

The Chukotka icebreaker has joined this group. In the coming weeks, Russia is planning the delivery of another icebreaker, the Yakutia, which is more than 95 percent complete.

Putin underlined that Russia needs to consider options to create a more efficient pricing model for icebreaker freight transit, so that more carriers and shippers can afford such services, especially since both Russian and foreign companies are showing more and more interest in this route with each passing year.

Russia has also claimed that next year, as agreed, icebreaker Stalingrad of the same series should be laid down. In addition, the next-generation nuclear icebreaker Leader, the most powerful so far, is being built at Zvezda shipyard in the Far East.

“The construction of these powerful modern vessels is yet another embodiment of Russia’s industrial, scientific, technological and human resources potential. It is on the basis of domestic technologies and breakthrough scientific solutions that the national economy should develop,” said Putin.

The Chukotka is 173 metres long (567 ft), 34 metres wide and with a height from the waterline to the mainmast of 57 metres. The height of its side is 15.2 metres and it has a speed of 22 knots in clear water. The Project 22220 icebreaker will be powered by two RITM-200 reactors which each have a thermal capacity of 175 MW. It already has the reactors and most of its main equipment on board, reported World Nuclear News.

It’s also being said that the vessel is the largest and most powerful icebreaker in the world. With a crew capacity of 54 people, the vessel has a water displacement capacity of 33.5 thousand tons. The vessel has RITM-200 reactors, which have a thermal capacity of 350 MW.