Localization level of LK-60 icebreakers estimated at 92% in finance terms, IAA PortNews correspondent cites Vyacheslav Ruksha, Deputy General Director of State Corporation “Rosatom”, as saying at NEVA 2021, the International Maritime Exhibition and Conference for Commercial Shipping, Shipbuilding, Offshore Energy, Ports, Inland Waterways and Oceanography, being held in Saint-Petersburg.
According to him, apart from nuclear-powered icebreakers it is necessary to build icebreakers running on liquefied natural gas (LNG).
“The new task is six more icebreakers, two nuclear-powered ones and four ships running on LNG. To a certain extent, we should tighten our joint efforts (with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and USC - Ed.) towards production of LNG-powered icebreakers since the number of nuclear-powered icebreakers available today cannot meet the required rates... I think, having tested dual-fuel ships using LNG this technology can be easily transferred to cargo ships”, said the speaker.
Vyacheslav Ruksha believes that Russia should build cargo ships of ice class. He emphasized that 15 gas carriers built for the Yamal LNG project earn 10 times as much as nuclear-powered icebreakers every year.