Baltic Shipyard received first shipment of Project 22220 Chukotka nuclear icebreaker’s RITM-200 propulsion

The nuclear-powered propulsion enhances max speed and icebreaking performance, enables icebreakers’ dual-draft capability

The first unit of the RITM-200 reactor plant, which will be installed on the Chukotka, fourth vessel of the Project 22220 multipurpose nuclear-powered icebreakers, has been delivered to Baltic Shipyard (part of USC), the shipbuilding company said on its Telegram messenger channel.

The RITM-200 weight is 147.5 tonnes, height: 7.3 m, D: 3.3 m. The RITM-200 propulsion plant consists of a pair of reactors with a thermal rated power of 175 MW each. It is almost twice easier and more compact saving space on board and cost-effective, enhances maximum speed of the vessel, enables icebreakers’ dual-draft, ice-breaking capabilities.

“RITM-200 is the heart of the nuclear icebreaker Chukotka, which has already been taking its final shape on the shipyard’s slipway. There is still a lot of outfitting ahead: loading steam generators and a number of equipment, installing systems, and most importantly, preparing for the icebreaker launching,” Yuri Gordienkov, General Director, Baltic Shipyard was quoted as saying.

Igor Kotov, General Director of Atomenergomash (a company of Rosatom), noted, this is the ninth RITM-200 reactor manufactured by enterprises of Rosatom’s mechanical engineering division for the new generation nuclear icebreakers. “By the end of the year we will complete work on the tenth unit, thereby providing energy to the five most powerful nuclear-powered ships in the world,” Kotov added.

PortNews has reported that ZiO-Podolsk machine-building plant (part of Rosatom) on October 19 shipped the first Chukotka’s RITM-200 reactor.

There are three nuclear-powered icebreakers of Project 22220, namely Arktika, Sibir and Ural, have been providing icebreaking support in the Northern Sea Route waters. Baltiysky Zavod Shipyard continues the construction of the third and the fourth nuclear-powered icebreakers of Project 22220, the Yakutia (with delivery in December 2024) and the Chukotka (December 2026). In February 2023, FSUE Atomflot and Baltiysky Zavod Shipyard signed a contract for the fifth and sixth nuclear-powered icebreakers of Project 22220 (Kamchatka and Sakhalin) with the delivery scheduled for December 2028 and December 2030, respectively.

Multipurpose nuclear-powered icebreakers of Project 22220 ships are the world’s largest and most powerful icebreaking vessels. Their key task is to ensure year-round shipping in the Arctic. Icebreakers of 22220 design will form the basis of Russia’s civil icebreaking fleet in the near future.

Key particulars of Project 22220: engine rated power: 60 MW; cruising 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.

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.