ROSATOM official says the Chukotka icebreaker construction at Baltiysky Shipyard will take 5.5 years

The so-called "global warming" is not a reason to abandon the construction of nuclear icebreakers

According to State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom (ROSATOM) estimates the completion of the construction of "Chukotka" icebreaker by St. Petersburg based Baltiysky Zavod Shipyard (part of the USC) will take about 5.5 years, Rosatom official said.

“I would estimate this period at 5.5 years, it will be a good result,” Vyacheslav Ruksha, Deputy Director General of Rosatom, Director of the Northern Sea Route Directorate was quoted as saying by PortNews IAA correspondent during the keel-laying ceremony.

The the fifth serial nuclear-powered icebreaker Chukotka completion deadline is December 2026. The management of Baltiysky Zavod Shipyard notes that the company is increasing the pace of construction of nuclear icebreakers and pledges to fulfill the contract execution on time.

Mr. Vyacheslav Ruksha also added that with the commissioning of a new series of five nuclear-powered icebreakers – the Arktika (entered service with Atomflot’s fleet in 2020), the Siberia, the Ural, the Yakutia and the Chukotka, icebreaking capacities of Atomflot will be sufficient to solve large-scale transport tasks in the Arctic and on the Northern Sea Route in the next 40 years.

Despite numerous statements about "global warming", the Rosatom official considers the construction of nuclear icebreakers necessary.

“It's true that the climate is changing; 2.5-3 months a year it’s a fairly easy sailing in the Arctic even for ordinary vessels without a special ice class. But what about the remaining 9 months?” he explained. According to Mr. Ruksha, the situation will not change dramatically in the near future.

The keel-laying ceremony for the fifth and fourth serial nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 22220 "Chukotka" was held today.

Nuclear-powered icebreakers of Project 22220 are equipped with two RITM-200 reactors of 175 MW. Project 22220 ships will be the world’s largest and most powerful nuclear-powered icebreakers (60MW).

RITM-200 is a two-reactor plant developed by Afrikantov OKBM specially for the icebreaking fleet.  Its design features energy-efficient integrated layout, which enables the placement of the main equipment directly inside the steam generating unit's casing.

General characteristics of 22220 Project vessels: capacity - 60 MW, operational speed - 22 knots (clean water), length - 173.3 m (160 m, DWL), beam - 34 m (33 m, DWL), height - 52 m; draft (DWL) - 10.5 m; minimum draft - 8.65 m, maximum icebreaking capability - 2.8-meter-thick ice (at full capacity and speed of 1.5-2 knots); full displacement – 33,540 tonnes; designated service life - 40 years, crew - 53.

A total of five icebreakers of 22220 design are to be built under Rosatom’s concept for the development of Russia’s icebreaking fleet.