Electric propulsion motors placed in design position on nuclear-powered icebreaker Sibir (photo)
Baltiysky Zavod – Sudostroyeniye LLC (part of United Shipbuilding Corporation) says three electric propulsion motors (EPM) have been placed on the Sibir, first serial nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 22220 being built by the shipyard. That technologically challenging procedure is one of the key stages in the construction process before the ship launching.
The motors were placed with the application of new Russian technology allowing for precise placement of oversized equipment weighing more than 300.
The third electric propulsion motor was placed in design position on 5 May 2017. Each icebreaker of project 22220 is equipped with three electric propulsion motor – two side ones and one central motor – designed specially for the Project by Ruselprom concern. Each 20 MW motor weighs 310 t.
“Installation of EPMs is a very important and technologically challenging phase. It is actually one of the three key phases in construction of a nuclear-powered icebreaker, which determines further works. The next phases will be the installation of a reactor and placement of a steam-turbine plant”, said Sergei Chernogubovsky, head of Project 22220.
The lead icebreaker of Project 22220, Arktika, launched on 16 June 2016 is under outfitting at the Baltiysky Zavod shipyard. The first serial icebreaker, Sibir, is being prepared for launching.
Baltiysky Zavod OJSC (Saint-Petersburg) specializes in construction of rank 1 surface-crafts, ice class vessels with nuclear and diesel-electric propulsion plants, nuclear floating energy units, floating distilling plants.
The shipyard was set up in 1856. In its history Baltiysky Zavod which had built over 600 ships and vessels and was privatized several times and returned to state control when financial problems arose. In late 2011, the shipyard once more fell under the control of the state represented by the United Shipbuilding Corporation. To preserve the staff and the competence of the shipyard, USC founded Baltiysky Zavod – Sudostroyeniye LLC. The Company’s staff currently numbers 4,000 employees.
The backlog of orders of Baltiysky Zavod-Sudostroyeniye LLC is currently valued at about RUB 150 bln. The largest orders are: three 60-MW nuclear icebreakers, 25-MW diesel-electric icebreaker, floating power unit of the world’s first floating nuclear heat and power plant, engineering products. In 2015, the Company’s revenue totaled RUB 11.857 mln, net profit – RUB 1.229 mln, current assets – RUB 62.736 bln.
