World’s most powerful nuclear icebreaker Arktika launched in Russia

[senheiser]

16.06.2016
The Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg has floated out the hull of what will become the world’s largest and most powerful twin-reactor icebreaker. The icebreaker will have two water distillers, each capable of processing 70 tonnes of water.
Russia floats out Arktika icebreaker, set to be world’s largest (VIDEO)
Published time: 16 Jun, 2016 15:51Edited time: 16 Jun, 2016 15:52
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Arktika icebreaker © Ramil Sitdykov / Sputnik
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Nuclear icebreaker Arktika has been floated out in Russia’s St. Petersburg. The vessel is expected to become the world’s largest in its class when finished.
Arktika is the lead ship of the Project 22220 series scheduled to replace nuclear ships of the previous generation. They are going to be not just bigger, but more powerful. Thanks to variable draft, these ships will be capable of sailing open seas and operate in shallow waters of Arctic rivers’ debouchments.

Started in November 2013, the project’s estimated worth is 122 billion rubles (about $2 billion). All three ships of the series will be commissioned by Rosatomflot, an integral part of Russia’s Rosatom nuclear energy monopoly.

The nuclear-powered giant will be capable of breaking ice fields up to 3 meters thick, making way for LNG carriers delivering Russian gas to Asian customers.

Arktika icebreaker © Svyatoslav Akimov / Sputnik

The ship was floated off without the deck housing, because the vessel’s “heart,” the double nuclear reactor delivering 60 MWe of power, could not be mounted inside the hull while the ship was on the stocks. The icebreaker will be complete by December 2017.

Arktika’s length is 173.3 meters, its beam is 34 meters, and its draft is variable – 8.55/10.5 meters.

Her maximum speed is 22 knots, and maximum draft is 33,540 tons. The ship will have endurance of six full months having 75 crewmembers onboard. The icebreaker carries a helicopter for ice reconnaissance and communication purposes.
The Baltic Shipyard will be building all three icebreakers of the series, including Siberia (laid down May 26, 2015) and Urals (to be laid down this autumn).

Arktika has become the third icebreaker floated out by Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation this (USC) year.

On January 3, Arctech Helsinki Shipyard (100 percent USC ownership) rolled out the covered berth diesel-electric icebreaker Polaris (Project Aker ARC 130), commissioned by Finland’s Transport Agency.

Last Friday, the Admiralty Shipyards in St Petersburg floated out the new generation diesel-electric icebreaker Ilya Muromets (Project 21180), commissioned by Russia’s Defense Ministry.

 

[senheiser]

@flamer84 @TaiShang @TimeTraveller

 

[senheiser]

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[TaiShang]

Impressive Russia!

Being an Arctic nation, Moscow has high stakes in the region.

 

[vostok]

Impressive Russia!

Being an Arctic nation, Moscow has high stakes in the region.

And there are plans to build a nuclear-powered icebreaker-monster "Leader" with 110 MW power, which will be able to breake ice up to 4.3 m. It will make the Northern Sea Route available year-round at the ship speed up to 12 knots!

Another variant

 

[TimeTraveller]

@flamer84 @TaiShang @TimeTraveller

Thankyou For Tagging Me Sir.......

Nice................

 

[Nigel Farrage]

Is there any ice left to be broken? Polar ice is already becoming thing of the past.

 

[Solomon2]

And there are plans to build a nuclear-powered icebreaker-monster "Leader" with 110 MW power, which will be able to breake ice up to 4.3 m.

That's not enough power. Are you sure "Leader" isn't equipped with two 110 MW powerplants, not just one?

 

[vostok]

That's not enough power. Are you sure "Leader" isn't equipped with two 110 MW powerplants, not just one?

110 MW is the propulsion power, not of powerplant. But there would probably be 2 reactors, as in the LK-60, only 2 times more powerful.

 

[Solomon2]

110 MW is the propulsion power, not of powerplant. But there would probably be 2 reactors, as in the LK-60, only 2 times more powerful.

How does Russia plan to decommission and dispose of these icebreakers at the end of their useful life?

 

[Imran Khan]

how is ice breakers work ?

 

[vostok]

How does Russia plan to decommission and dispose of these icebreakers at the end of their useful life?

I do not know the specific plans.

 

[Solomon2]

I do not know the specific plans.

I've long admired the nuclear-powered icebreaker concept but if Russia wants to contract them to do the Northwest Passage they're going to have to be more open about their design and operation.

I bet they'd do well clearing the Northeast Passage but I can't imagine Canada licensing them without more details on their hull construction and operation. It shouldn't be much of a challenge - the technology is mature, not cutting-edge stuff.

 

[vostok]

I've long admired the nuclear-powered icebreaker concept but if Russia wants to contract them to do the Northwest Passage they're going to have to be more open about their design and operation.

Icebreakers LK-60 are designed to work in the Western part of the Russian Arctic. Icebreakers LK-110 - to work in the Western and Eastern part of the Russian Arctic, where the ice is thicker and natural conditions are heavier. But I've heard at the first time about possible work in Alaska and Canada!

 

[Solomon2]

...I heard at the first time about possible work in Alaska and Canada!

The N.E. passage hasn't been used much but with global warming it's quite practical during the summer. Nuclear-powered icebreakers don't need fuel depots so in the sparsely-settled Canadian Arctic they should be ideal. They'd have to use local pilots, I suppose...but the contamination issue is the big worry - the Lenin's record was scary...