The ceremony of raising the flag of the Russian Federation on the Ural nuclear-powered icebreaker was held at Baltiysky Zavod (shipyard of United Shipbuilding Corporation) on 22 November 2022, reports IAA PortNews correspondent. The President of the Russian Federation attended the ceremony via videoconference.
Prior to the event, Baltiysky Zavod launched the third serial nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 22220, the Yakutia.
“Today we have two interesting events important for Russian shipbuilding and our icebreaker fleet and actually for the entire country. It is the accomplishment of two very important, complex tasks, not just two complex tasks but two within one large project,” said the President. The transcript is available on the official website of the Kremlin.
“Both icebreakers were built as part of a serial project and are included in our large-scale, system-wide work on reequipping and expanding the Russian icebreaker fleet, and on strengthening Russia’s status as a great Arctic power,” added Vladimir Putin.
According to the President, Russia will increase the capabilities of its nuclear icebreaker fleet, and, what is essential, that should be done using Russian solutions and production capacities, as well as domestic equipment and components.
When speaking about the development of the Northern Sea Route, Vladimir Putin emphasized the country’s readiness for “cooperation with all friendly nations, with all those who want to work with Russia”.
When speaking at the ceremony, Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Alexei Likhachev said that “literally in two years, the number of nuclear-powered icebreakers increased from four to seven. In addition to the future contracts … we are to build over 70 ice-class vessels – both with icebreaking capabilities and cargo ships – for exports and domestic shipping.”
Nuclear-powered icebreaker Ural, the second serial ship of Project 22220, completed the shipbuilder’s sea trials on 1 November 2022.
The Ural is the third ship of Project 22220 built by Baltiysky Zavod shipyard. Laid down on 25 July 2016, it was launched on 26 May 2019. The ship is to be delivered to FSUE Atomflot in November 2022. The construction is conducted under the supervision of Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.
Under the contract with Rosatom, Baltiysky Zavod will build five icebreakers of Project 22220. The lead icebreaker Arktika and the first serial icebreaker Sibir have already been put into operation. The shipyard is currently building the Yakutia and the Chukotka. Their delivery is scheduled for 2024 and 2026 accordingly.
Multipurpose nuclear-powered icebreakers of Project 22220 ships are the world’s largest and most powerful icebreaking ships. Icebreakers of 22220 design will form the basis of Russia’s civil icebreaking fleet in the near time.
Key particulars of Project 22220: LOA - 173.3 m (160 m, DWL), beam - 34 m (33 m, DWL), depth – 15.2 m; height - 52 m; draft (DWL) - 10.5 m; minimum draft – 9.2 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.
Their key task is to ensure year-round navigation in the western Arctic, escorting of ships in shallow areas of the Yenisei estuary and the Gulf of Ob, towing of ships and floating facilities in ice-covered and ice-free waters; participation in rescue operations in ice-covered and ice-free waters.
The icebreakers are built to RS class.
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.
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