The largest icebreaker in the world: photos, sizes

The first icebreaker in the world appeared in the XVIII century. It was not a very large boat, capable of breaking ice in the harbor of Philadelphia. It has been a long time since the wheel was replaced by a turbine, and then a powerful nuclear reactor appeared. Today, huge nuclear icebreakers break Arctic ice with enormous power.

What is an icebreaker?

It is a vessel used in ice-covered waters. Nuclear icebreakers are equipped with nuclear power plants, which is why they have more power than diesel, so they are easier to conquer frozen ponds. Icebreakers have another clear advantage - they do not need refueling.

Below, the article presents the largest icebreaker in the world (dimensions, design, features, etc.). Also, after reading the material, you can get acquainted with the world's largest liners of this type.

General information

It should be noted that all 10 existing nuclear icebreakers are built and launched in the times of the existence of the USSR and Russia. The irreplaceability of such airliners is proved by the operation that took place in 1983. At that time, about fifty ships, including diesel icebreakers, were in the east of the Arctic, in an ice trap. Only thanks to the nuclear icebreaker "Arctic" they were able to free themselves from captivity and deliver important cargo to nearby settlements.

It was a long time ago to build nuclear icebreakers in Russia, because only our state with the Arctic Ocean has a contact of great length - the famous sea Northern route, which is 5 thousand 600 kilometers in length. He takes the beginning at the Kara Gates, and ends at the Bay of Providence.

There is one interesting point: icebreakers are specially painted in dark red color, so that they are clearly visible in the ice.

Below, the article presents the largest icebreakers in the world (top-10).

Icebreaker "Arctic"

One of the largest icebreakers - the nuclear ship "Arctic" in history entered as the very first surface ship that reached the North Pole. In 1982-1986 he was called Leonid Brezhnev. Its laying was held in Leningrad, at the Baltiysky Zavod, 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 vessel is the posting of vessels across the Arctic Ocean.

The length of the nuclear-powered ship is 148 meters, and the board has a height of approximately 17 meters. Its width is 30 meters. The capacity of the steam-producing nuclear plant is more than 55 megawatts. Technical parameters of the vessel allowed breaking ice, having a thickness of 5 meters, and its speed in clean water developed up to 18 knots.

The 10 largest icebreakers in the world

Below are the 10 largest (in length) modern icebreakers around the world:

1. "Sevmorput" is an icebreaker transport vessel. Its length is 260 meters, height corresponds to the size of a multi-storey building. The vessel is able to pass through the ice thickness of 1 meter.

2. "Arctic" - the largest nuclear icebreaker, 173 meters in length. It was launched in 2016 and represents the first nuclear icebreaker of the Russian Federation. It is able to split ice almost 3 meters thick.

3. "50 Years of Victory" is a naval nuclear icebreaker (the largest in the world) of the "Arctic" class, which is distinguished by its impressive power and deep landing. Its length is 159.6 meters.

4. "Taimyr" - an atomic river icebreaker, breaking ice in the mouths of rivers up to 1.7 meters thick. Its length is 151.8 meters. The peculiarity of the vessel is a reduced landing and the ability to work at low extreme temperatures.

5. "Vaigach" - built on one project c "Taimyr" (but it is slightly younger). The atomic 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 took place at the North Pole. The total number of flights of the nuclear-powered vessel to this point was almost 50. Its length is 150 meters.

7. Healy is the largest icebreaker in the USA. In 2015, the Americans for the first time could make a trip to the North Pole. 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, in connection with old age, he will soon be written off.

9. Louis S. St-Laurent is the largest icebreaker built in Canada (120 meters long) in 1969 and fully modernized in 1993. It is the first ship in the world to reach the North Pole in 1994.

10. Polarstern - German nuclear powered vessel, built in 1982 and intended for scientific research. The oldest ship is 118 meters long. In 2017, Polarstern-II will be built, which will replace the predecessor and take a watch in the Arctic.

The largest icebreaker in the world: photo, description, purpose

"50 Years of Victory" is a more modernized experimental project of the 2nd series of icebreakers of the "Arctic" type. This vessel uses the shape of the nose tip in the form of a spoon. It was first used in the development of the experimental "Kanmar Kigoriak" (icebreaker, Canada) in 1979 and convincingly proved its effectiveness.

This is the largest and most powerful nuclear icebreaker in the world, equipped with a modern digital automatic control system. Also, it has a modernized complex of means for biological protection of the nuclear power plant. It is also equipped with an environmental compartment equipped with the latest modern equipment that collects and utilizes the products of the vital activity of the personnel on the ship.

The icebreaker "50 Years of Victory" deals not only with the release of other ships from ice captivity, it is also focused on the implementation of tourist cruises. Of course, there are no passenger cabins on board, so tourists are accommodated in the usual cabins of the ship's structure. However, the ship's board is equipped with a restaurant, a sauna, a swimming pool and a gym.

A Brief History of the Ship

The biggest icebreaker in the world is "50 Years of Victory". It was designed in Leningrad, at the Baltiyskiy Zavod, in 1989, and four years later it was built and first launched. However, its construction did not end in connection with financial turmoil. Only in 2003 it was restarted its construction, and in February 2007 in the Gulf of Finland tests began. The port of his registration was Murmansk.

Despite the protracted start, for today behind the ship - more than a hundred trips to the North Pole.

The most powerful and large icebreaker, "50 Years of Victory", is the 8th nuclear icebreaker designed and built at the Baltic Shipyard.

"Siberia"

At one time, the Soviet Union had no equal in the construction of nuclear icebreakers. At that time, there were no such ships anywhere in the world, whereas the USSR had 7 nuclear icebreakers. For example, "Siberia" is a ship that has become a direct continuation of nuclear installations of the "Arctic" type.

The vessel was equipped with a satellite communication system, which is responsible for faxing, navigation and telephone communication. It also had all the amenities: a lounge, a swimming pool, a sauna, a library, a training hall and a huge dining room.

The icebreaker "Siberia" went down in history as the first ship that made year-round navigation from Murmansk to Dudinka. In addition, he is the second vessel to reach the summit of the planet at the North Pole.

In 1977 (the moment when the icebreaker was commissioned), it had the largest dimensions: 29.9 meters wide, 147.9 meters long. In those days it was the world's largest icebreaker.

Meaning of icebreakers

The importance of such ships in the near future will only increase, because in the long term many activities are planned for the active development of natural resources located under the bottom of the great Arctic Ocean.

On separate sites navigation on the Northern Sea Route lasts only 2-4 months, because all 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 the crew, and also in order to save fuel from icebreakers, planes and helicopters are sent for reconnaissance in search of an easier route.

The world's largest icebreakers have an important feature - they can autonomously cruise the Arctic Ocean during the year, breaking the nose of an unusual form of ice up to 3 meters thick.

Conclusion

The USSR at one time had absolute domination in the world in terms of the number of such ships. In total, seven nuclear icebreakers were built in those days.

Since 1989, some icebreakers of this type have also been used for tourist excursions, mostly to the North Pole.

In winter, the thickness of the ice in the ocean averages 1.2-2 meters, and in some areas reaches 2.5 meters, but icebreakers are able to walk on such waters at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour (11 knots). In waters free from ice, the speed can reach 45 kilometers per hour (or 25 knots).