The first icebreaker in the world appeared in the 18th century. It was a small steamer capable of breaking ice in Philadelphia harbor. A lot of time has passed since the wheel was replaced by a turbine, and then a powerful nuclear reactor appeared. Today, huge nuclear-powered ships are breaking the Arctic ice with tremendous power.
What is an icebreaker?
This is a vessel used in heavily iced waters. Nuclear-powered icebreakers are equipped with nuclear power plants, and therefore have more power than diesel ones, making them easier to conquer frozen waters. Icebreakers have another clear advantage - they do not need refueling.
The article below shows the largest icebreaker in the world (dimensions, design, features, etc.). Also, after reading the material, you can get acquainted with the largest liners of the world of this type.
General information
It should be noted that all 10 existing nuclear icebreakers today were built and launched duringUSSR and Russia. The indispensability of such liners is proved by the operation that took place in 1983. At that time, about fifty ships, including diesel-powered icebreakers, found themselves in the east of the Arctic, trapped in ice. Only thanks to the nuclear icebreaker "Arktika" they were able to free themselves from captivity and deliver important cargo to nearby settlements.
Building nuclear-powered ships in Russia began a long time ago, because only our country has long-term contact with the Arctic Ocean - the famous sea Northern Route, the length of which is 5 thousand 600 kilometers. It starts at the Kara Gate and ends at Providence Bay.
There is one interesting point: icebreakers are specially painted dark red so that they are clearly visible in the ice.
The article below shows the largest icebreakers in the world (top 10).
Icebreaker Arktika
One of the largest icebreakers, the nuclear-powered icebreaker Arktika, went down in history as the first surface ship to reach the North Pole. In 1982-1986 he was called "Leonid Brezhnev". Its laying took place in Leningrad, at the B altic Shipyard, in July 1971. More than 400 enterprises and associations, design and research scientific and other organizations took part in its creation.
The icebreaker was launched into the water at the end of 1972. The purpose of the ship is to guide ships through the Arctic Ocean.
The length of the nuclear-powered ship is 148 meters, and the side has a height of about 17 meters. Its width is 30meters. The power of the steam generating nuclear plant is more than 55 megawatts. The technical performance of the vessel made it possible to break through ice, which had a thickness of 5 meters, and its speed in clear water developed up to 18 knots.
10 biggest icebreakers in the world
Below are the 10 largest (by length) modern icebreakers in the world:
1. Sevmorput is an icebreaking and transport vessel. Its length is 260 meters, the height corresponds to the size of a multi-storey building. The vessel is capable of passing through 1 meter thick ice.
2. Arktika is the largest nuclear-powered icebreaker with a length of 173 meters. It was launched in 2016 and represents the first nuclear-powered icebreaker of the Russian Federation. Capable of breaking ice up to almost 3 meters thick.
3. “50 Years of Victory” is a sea nuclear icebreaker (the largest in the world) of the Arktika class, which is distinguished by its impressive power and deep landing. Its length is 159.6 meters.
4. "Taimyr" is a nuclear-powered river icebreaker that breaks ice in the mouths of rivers up to 1.7 meters thick. Its length is 151.8 meters. The vessel features a reduced landing and the ability to operate at low extreme temperatures.
5. "Vaigach" - built according to the same project with "Taimyr" (but it is a little younger). Nuclear equipment was installed on the ship in 1990. Its length is 151.8 m.
6. Yamal is famous for the fact that it was on this icebreaker that the meeting of the beginning of the third millennium at the North Pole took place. The total number of voyages of the nuclear-powered ship to this point amounted toalmost 50. Its length is 150 meters.
7. Healy is the largest US icebreaker. In 2015, Americans were able to travel to the North Pole on it for the first time. The research vessel is equipped with the latest laboratory and measuring equipment. Its length is 128 meters.
8. PolarSea is one of the oldest icebreakers in the United States of America, built in 1977. Seattle is the home port. The length of the vessel is 122 meters. Perhaps, due to old age, it will soon be decommissioned.
9. Louis S. St-Laurent is the largest icebreaker built in Canada (120 meters long) in 1969 and completely modernized in 1993. It is the first ship in the world to reach the North Pole in 1994.
10. Polarstern is a German nuclear-powered ship built in 1982 and intended for scientific research. The oldest ship has a length of 118 meters. In 2017, Polarstern-II will be built, which will replace its predecessor and take over the watch in the Arctic.
The largest icebreaker in the world: photo, description, purpose
“50 Years of Victory” is a modernized pilot project of the 2nd series of icebreakers of the “Arktika” type. On this vessel, the shape of the bow in the form of a spoon is used. It was first used in the development of the experimental Kenmar Kigoriyak (icebreaker, Canada) in 1979 and has been convincingly proven effective.
This is the world's largest and most powerful nuclear-powered icebreaker equipped with modern digitalautomatic control system. It also has a modernized set of means for the biological protection of a nuclear power plant. It is also equipped with an environmental compartment equipped with the latest modern equipment that collects and utilizes the waste products of the personnel on the ship.
The icebreaker "50 years of Victory" is not only engaged in the release of other ships from ice captivity, it is also focused on tourist cruises. Of course, there are no passenger cabins on the ship, so tourists are accommodated in the usual cabins of the ship. However, the ship is equipped with a restaurant, sauna, swimming pool and gym.
A brief history of the ship
The world's largest icebreaker - "50 Years of Victory". It was designed in Leningrad, at the B altic Shipyard, in 1989, and 4 years later it was built and launched for the first time. However, its construction was not completed due to financial troubles. Only in 2003, its construction was resumed, and in February 2007, tests began in the Gulf of Finland. Murmansk became its port of registry.
Despite the protracted start, today the ship has more than a hundred trips to the North Pole.
The most powerful and largest icebreaker "50 Years of Victory" is the 8th nuclear-powered icebreaker designed and built at the B altic Shipyard.
Siberia
At one time, the Soviet Union had no equal in the field of building nuclear icebreakers. In those days, there were no such ships anywhere in the world, while the USSR had 7nuclear icebreakers. For example, "Siberia" is a ship that has become a direct continuation of nuclear installations of the "Arktika" type.
The vessel was equipped with a satellite communication system responsible for fax, navigation and telephone communications. It also had all the amenities: a relaxation room, a swimming pool, a sauna, a library, a training room and a huge dining room.
The icebreaker "Siberia" went down in history as the first vessel to make year-round navigation from Murmansk to Dudinka. It is also the second ship to reach the planet's summit at the North Pole.
In 1977 (the moment the icebreaker was put into operation), it had the largest dimensions: 29.9 meters - width, 147.9 meters - length. At that time, it was the world's largest icebreaker.
Meaning of icebreakers
The importance of such ships will only increase in the near future, because in the future there are many activities planned for the active development of natural resources located under the bottom of the great Arctic Ocean.
In some sections, navigation on the Northern Sea Route lasts only 2-4 months, because the rest of the time all the water is covered with ice up to 3 meters or more thick. In order not to risk the ship and crew, and also in order to save fuel, aircraft and helicopters are sent from icebreakers to carry out reconnaissance in search of an easier way.
The world's largest icebreakers have an important feature - they can autonomously cruise the Arctic Ocean throughout the year, breaking open the bow of an unusualforms ice up to 3 meters thick.
Conclusion
The USSR at one time had absolute dominance in the world in terms of the number of such ships. In total, seven nuclear-powered icebreakers were built in those days.
Since 1989, some icebreakers of this type have been used for tourist excursions, mostly to the North Pole.
In winter, the thickness of ice in the ocean averages 1.2-2 meters, and in some areas it reaches 2.5 meters, but nuclear icebreakers are able to walk on such waters at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour (11 knots). In ice-free waters, speeds can reach 45 kilometers per hour (or 25 knots).
