On 14 August 2023, Baltiysky Zavod JSC (a company of United Shipbuilding Corporation, USC) commenced cutting steel for the fifth serial multipurpose nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 22220. A plasma-cutting machine is used for cutting the specialised steel. The steel-cutting ceremony was attended by the representatives of the customer, FSUE Atomflot, and Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, says press center of Baltiysky Zavod.
The fifth serial icebreaker is the sixth nuclear-powered icebreakers of the project being implemented by Baltiysky Zavod.
“The series continuation guarantees the stable development of the Baltiysky Zavod with the orders secured until 2030. This will allow for modernization of the production facilities and increase the number of jobs, which is important for the plant and the economy of the region, especially at the present time,” said Yury Gordienkov, General Director of Baltiysky Zavod.
Multipurpose nuclear-powered icebreakers of Project 22220 ships are the world’s largest and most powerful icebreaking ships. Their key task is to ensure year-round navigation in the Arctic. Icebreakers of 22220 design will form the basis of Russia’s civil icebreaking fleet in the near time.
Key particulars of Project 22220: power — 60 MW; speed — 22 knots (in clear water); LOA - 174 m; beam - 34 m (33 m, DWL); height – 52 m; draft (DWL) - 10.5 m/8.65 m; minimum draft – 9.3 m, full displacement – 33,540 tonnes; maximum icebreaking capability - 2.8-meter-thick ice (at full capacity and speed of 1.5-2 knots); designated service life - 40 years, crew - 53.
As IAA PortNews reported earlier, in February 2023, FSUE Atomflot and Baltiysky Zavod JSC signed a contract for construction of the fifth and sixth nuclear-powered icebreakers of Project 22220 – Kamchatka and Sakhalin with the delivery scheduled for December 2028 and December 2030, respectively.
Three nuclear-powered icebreakers of Project 22220, Arktika Sibir and Ural, are already in operation in the Northern Sea Route waters. The Yakutia and the Chukotka are under construction with the delivery scheduled for December 2024 and December 2026 respectively.
Saint-Petersburg, Russia based Baltiysky Zavod shipyard (Baltic Shipyard) was established in 1856 and today is a 100% subsidiary of the state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC). The shipyard specializes in the construction of Rank 1 surface crafts, ice class vessels with nuclear and diesel-electric propulsion, of nuclear floating energy units and floating distilling plants. Baltic Shipyard has built over 600 ships and vessels. The shipyard employs more than 6,000 people.