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2023 October 26   09:23

Project 22220 nuclear icebreaker Ural successfully completes drydocking at Baltic Shipyard

The ship achieved Kronstadt Marine Plant dockdocking five days ahead of schedule

Photo courtesy of United Shipbuilding Corp

Baltic Shipyard (Baltiysky Zavod, part of USC) has completed the scheduled maintenance of the Project 22220 multipurpose nuclear-powered icebreaker “Ural”. The ship left the dock of the Kronstadt Marine Plant (part of USC) five days ahead of schedule, the USC press office said.

In accordance with the contract terms, the shipbuilder’s specialists inspected the underwater part of the hull, the bottom-side fittings and the steerable propulsion unit, and carried out scheduled maintenance, including painting the underwater part. The repair took 55 days instead of scheduled 60 days. As the distance between the dock doors is only 3 m wider than the icebreaker breadth overall (34 m), floating out from the dock required special precision.

From the Kronstadt facility, the Ural headed for the Baltic Shipyard for undergoing warranty service. Then the ship will depart for its home port Murmansk.

The Ural is the third ship of Project 22220 built by Baltiysky Zavod to RS class, with a keel-laying ceremony held July 26, 2016 and launching on May 26, 2019. The newbuild was delivered to FSUE Atomflot on November 29, 2022.

Project 22220 icebreakers are the largest and most powerful icebreaking ships in the world. The vessels were designed and built to assist shipping year round within the Western Arctic basin. Three Project 22220 icebreakers are currently operating in the waters of the Northern Sea Route: “Arctic”, “Siberia” and “Ural”. Baltic Shipyard is building at its yards two more icebreakers of Project 22220, the Yakutia and the Chukotka.

Main characteristics of Project 22220 nuclear icebreakers: length - 174 m; width - 34 m; draft -10.5 m/9.3 m; power - 60 MW (on shafts); displacement - 33.54 thousand tons; design service life - 40 years; crew size - 54 people.

Key particulars of Project 22220: engine rated power: 60 MW; cruising speed: 22 knots (in ice-free 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.

Saint-Petersburg, Russia based Baltic Shipyard (Baltiysky Zavod) 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. Since its inception Baltic Shipyard has built over 600 ships and vessels. The shipbuilding company employs more than 6,000 people.