Russian government plans to invest about 90 billion rubles over the next three years in the completion of the construction of the Russian atomic icebreaker, which will become the flagship of the new class “Leader.” The vessel, named “Russia,” will be equipped with an energy installation with a capacity of 120 MW, making it the most powerful icebreaker in the world, with double the power of any existing atomic icebreaker. With a displacement of 69,700 tons and two rhythm-400 reactors, the icebreaker will be able to navigate through ice up to 4 meters thick.
The primary objective of the new icebreaker is to facilitate year-round shipping along the Northern Sea Route. The vessel, with a width of 48 meters, will create wide channels in ice to accommodate tankers carrying LNG and oil through the challenging East Siberian and Chukchi seas sections of the route.
Construction of the “Russia” commenced at the Zvezda shipyard in July 2020 but encountered various obstacles, leading to a delay from the original completion target of 2027 to the revised goal of 2030. Currently, the vessel’s readiness stands at 15-20%.
The development of the atomic icebreaker fleet holds strategic importance for Russia, particularly in light of Western sanctions that restrict access to European oil and LNG markets. The icebreaker “Leader” is expected to play a pivotal role in exporting resources to Asia, notably China, especially during the winter season.
By 2030, Atomflot, the operator of Russia’s primary icebreakers, intends to deploy 17 icebreakers on the Northern Sea Route, comprising 13 nuclear icebreakers and 4 new diesel-electric ones. Currently, the company operates 7 nuclear icebreakers, with 4 more under construction and one in the ordering phase.
Atomflot aims to optimize resource usage by utilizing non-nuclear icebreakers in the less challenging conditions of the Ob and Yenisei rivers, enabling the concentration of all atomic icebreakers on the more demanding eastern sections of the route.