Baltic Shipyard loads heavyweight propulsion units onto the 60MW LK-60 nuclear-powered icebreaker URAL
St. Petersburg, Russia based Baltiysky Zavod Shipyard (Baltic Shipyard, part of United Shipbuilding Corp.) began loading propulsion motors onto the second serial multipurpose nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 22220 named Ural. The shipyard says it will install one main and a pair of secondary propulsion motors.
Electric motors were supplied by Ruselprom Concern. Loading of propulsion units is carried out by specialists of Spetstyazhavtotrans using a modular gantry system and rigging equipment to perform high accuracy installation of heavy oversize equipment with a weight exceeding 300 tonnes. The overall time for loading a heavyweight unit onto the icebreaker takes from 10 to 12 hours. The 20MW electric motor weight is 310 tonnes.
Construction of LK-60 60MW lead icebreaker Arktika and two serial icebreakers (Sibir, Ural) of Project 22220 is underway at Baltic Shipyard. The Arktika is undergoing dockside trials with the delivery scheduled for the second half of 2019. The Sibir and the Ural will be delivered in 2020 and in 2021 accordingly. The serial icebreakers will be built to RS class and will be commissioned into service by the State Corporation Rosatom.
General characteristics of the vessels: capacity - 60 MW, operational speed - 22 knots (clean water), length - 173.3 m (160 m, DWL), beam - 34 m (33 m, DWL), depth - 15.2 m; draft (DWL) - 10.5 m; minimum draft - 8.55 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 - 75.
The icebreaker will be powered by two RITM-200 reactors of 175 MW tailored for this series. The vessel dual-draft capability concept will enable operations of the icebreakers both in the Arctic and in the mouths of the polar rivers.
Icebreakers will be operated in the western region of the Arctic: in the Barents, Pechora and Kara Seas, as well as in shallower areas of the Yenisei estuary and the Ob Bay area.
About Baltic Shipyard
AO Baltiysky Zavod Shipyard (Baltic Shipyard) established in 1856 is based in Saint-Petersburg and specializes in the construction of Rank 1 surface crafts, Arc class vessels with nuclear and diesel-electric propulsion systems, nuclear floating energy units, floating distilling plants. Baltic Shipyard had built over 600 ships and vessels. The company employs more than 6000 people.
About United Shipbuilding Corporation
AO United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) is the largest shipbuilding group in Russia. It was established in 2007 and is 100% state-owned. The group currently comprises 40 companies and organizations (major shipbuilding and ship repair companies as well as leading naval architecture and marine engineering firms). USC consolidates a larger part of the domestic shipbuilding facilities. The Russian market is the main focus of the state corporation, however USC also exports newbuilds to 20 countries worldwide.
