Construction of diesel icebreakers for the Arctic can take about three years - Main Directorate of NSR
Construction of six icebreakers for Nornickel, Rosneft and NOVATEK is underway
It can take about three years to build diesel icebreakers, IAA PortNews correspondent cites Vladimir Arutyunyan, Head of Marine Operations Headquarters at Glavsevmorput (Main Directorate of the Northern Sea Route), as saying at the 10th International Forum “Arctic Projects - Today and Tomorrow”.
“In the current situation, construction of LNG-powered icebreakers will not be considered due to the lack of equipment. Diesel icebreakers can operate. Consideration of building nuclear-powered icebreakers to replace diesel ones is underway. It can take about three years to build a diesel icebreaker,” he said.
The construction of LNG-powered icebreakers has been under discussion from 2017. There was a plan to order four ships for operation in the Kara Sea and in the Gulf of Ob. It was first initiated by Atomflot which will apparently operate the icebreaker under construction. Nornickel earlier announced its intent to finance the construction with its own resources. NOVATEK also used to speak about building of icebreakers. Construction of one ship was estimated at $300 million.
As Maksim Kulinko, Deputy Director of Rosatom’s Northern Sea Route Directorate, told IAA PortNews earlier, six icebreakers to be built at the expense of companies operating in the Arctic and Rosatom would be powered by diesel fuel instead of LNG. Some companies have already rejected using LNG power plants while talks are being conducted with other companies. The companies operating in the Arctic are revising their plans amid sanctions.
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