Arktika (2016 icebreaker)

Arktika (Russian: Арктика, tr. Arctic, IPA: [ˈarktʲɪkə]) is a Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker currently under construction at Baltic Shipyard in Saint Petersburg.[12] She is the lead ship of Project 22220 icebreakers and, once in service, will supersede the Arktika-class icebreakers as the largest and most powerful icebreaker ever constructed.[13]

For the previous nuclear-powered icebreaker of the same name, see Arktika (1972 icebreaker).
Visualization of a Project 22220 icebreaker.
History
Russia
Name: Arktika (Арктика)
Namesake: Russian for the Arctic
Operator: FSUE Atomflot
Builder: Baltic Shipyard, Saint Petersburg
Cost: RUB 36.959 billion[1]
Yard number: 05706[2]
Laid down: 5 November 2013[3]
Launched: 16 June 2016[4]
Sponsored by: Valentina Matviyenko[5]
Completed:
  • December 2017 (contract)
  • September–October 2020 (current estimate)[6]
Identification:
Status: Under construction
General characteristics [8][9]
Type: Icebreaker
Displacement:
  • 33,530 t (33,000 long tons) (dwl)
  • 25,540 t (25,140 long tons) (minimum)
Length:
  • 173.3 m (569 ft) (overall)
  • 160.0 m (525 ft) (dwl)
Beam:
  • 34 m (112 ft) (maximum)
  • 33 m (108 ft) (dwl)
Height: 51.25 m (168 ft)[10]
Draft:
  • 10.5 m (34 ft) (dwl)
  • 8.65 m (28 ft) (minimum)
Depth: 15.2 m (50 ft)
Ice class: RMRS Icebreaker9
Installed power:
Propulsion:
  • Nuclear-turbo-electric
  • Three shafts (3 × 20 MW)
Speed:
  • 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
  • 1.5–2 knots (2.8–3.7 km/h; 1.7–2.3 mph) in 2.8 m (9 ft) ice
Endurance:
  • 7 years (reactor fuel)
  • 6 months (provisions)[11]
Crew: 75
Aviation facilities: Helideck and hangar

Development and construction

Background
Main article: Project 22220 icebreaker § Development

In the late 1980s,[14] the Russian research institutes and design bureaus developed a successor for the 1970s Arktika-class nuclear-powered icebreakers as part of a wider icebreaker fleet renewal program initiated shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.[15] The new 60-megawatt icebreaker, referred to using a type size series designation LK-60Ya,[note 1] would feature a so-called dual-draft functionality which would allow the vessel to operate in shallow coastal areas after de-ballasting.[16] Although the preliminary designs had been developed more almost two decades earlier, the LK-60Ya design was finalized in 2009 as Project 22220 by Central Design Bureau "Iceberg"[17] and the construction of the first vessel was awarded to Saint Petersburg-based Baltic Shipyard in August 2012.[18] Two additional contracts in May 2014 and August 2019 have increased the number of Project 22220 icebreakers under construction or on order to five.[19][20]

Construction
Arktika (left) and Sibir under construction at Baltic Shipyard in August 2018.

The construction of the first Project 22220 icebreaker was awarded to Baltic Shipyard, the sole bidder in the public tender, on 3 August 2012 with a contract value of 36.959 billion rubles (about US$1.16 billion).[18] The steel-cutting ceremony, which marked the beginning of construction, was held on 1 November 2012[1] and the keel was laid on the slipway on 5 November 2013.[3] By August 2015, 70 % of the hull assembly including the icebreaking bow had been completed, and the construction was proceeding according to the original schedule according to which the vessel would be delivered by December 2017.[21] The launching ceremony, initially scheduled for May 2016,[22] was held on 16 June 2016.[4][5] The new icebreaker was named Arktika, Russian for the Arctic, after her predecessor.

While the hull of the icebreaker was still being assembled on the slipway, the shipyard began the construction of the 2,400-tonne (2,400-long-ton) superstructure that would be installed after launching.[23] Similarly, the 180-tonne (180-long-ton) RITM-200 nuclear reactors were installed after launching: the first one on 2 September 2016 and the second one on 21 September.[24]

By early 2017, it was revealed that the construction of the lead ship of Project 22220 icebreakers had fallen behind schedule and Baltic Shipyard was forced to apply for a one-year contract extension from the Russian Government. The reason for the delay was largely related to the Ukrainian crisis that began in November 2013. The ship's two main turbogenerators, initially ordered from the Ukrainian state-owned company Turboatom, had to be sourced domestically from Kirov-Energomash due to the deteriorated Russia–Ukraine relations. Similarly, the supplier of the integrated electric propulsion system was changed from the GE Power Conversion, a subsidiary of General Electric, to TSNII SET, a subsidiary of Krylov State Research Center.[25][26][27] On 12 July 2017, President Vladimir Putin ordered the United Shipbuilding Corporation to postpone the delivery of the new icebreaker to 2019.[28] Further delays in the manufacturing and testing of the steam turbines later pushed this deadline to May 2020.[29]

The quayside trials, which included testing of the ship's systems while connected to shore power, began in May 2018.[30] One year later, Arktika's reactors received their first batch of nuclear fuel[31] and in October 2019 the ship's nuclear power plant was brought to the minimum level of controlled reaction. The Russians referred to this event as "physical launching" of the reactors.[32]

Arktika began the first stage of sea trials in Gulf of Finland under diesel power on 12 December 2019. Over the course of these two-day trials, the ship's electric propulsion plant, navigation systems, deck equipment and other installations were thoroughly tested.[33][34] During the trials, the vessel achieved a speed of 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) on diesel power.[35] The final phase of sea trials, during which the vessel would be tested under nuclear power, were originally scheduled for March–April 2020.[36] However, the three-week trials were later postponed to mid-June[37] and finally commenced on 23 June when Arktika was towed out to the Gulf of Finland by four tugboats.[38][39] After completing the trials, the icebreaker returned to the shipyard on 13 July.[40]

In February 2020, it was reported that the propulsion motor on the starboard shaft had failed during the quayside trials due to a short circuit and, if the 300-ton motor needs to be replaced, this may have an impact on the delivery date of the icebreaker.[41] In March 2020, it was further reported that Arktika may be accepted to trial service with reduced propulsion power of 40 to 50 megawatts while a replacement motor is being manufactured.[42] According to Central Design Bureau "Iceberg", this would reduce the vessel's maximum icebreaking capability by about 20 centimetres (8 in).[38] In late June, the United Shipbuilding Corporation confirmed that the vessel will be accepted for trial service in the Arctic in September or October with a limited propulsion power of 52 megawatts while the replacement of the faulty propulsion motor is scheduled for August–November 2021.[43] The work, which requires cutting the icebreaker's hull to access and replace the failed components, will be carried out at Kronstadt Marine Plant.[44]

The Russian newspaper Kommersant has raised concerns about excessive lightship weight and, consequently, minimum operating draught reportedly increasing from the planned 8.55 metres (28 ft) to 9.3 metres (31 ft). This would not allow the icebreaker to operate efficiently in shallow river estuaries.[45]

Design
Main article: Project 22220 icebreaker § Design

Arktika is 173.3 metres (569 ft) long overall and has a maximum beam of 34 metres (112 ft). Designed to operate efficiently both in shallow Arctic river estuaries as well as along the Northern Sea Route, the draught of the vessel can be varied between 8.65 and 10.5 metres (28 and 34 ft) by taking in and discharging ballast water, corresponding to a displacement between 25,540 and 33,530 tonnes (25,140 and 33,000 long tons).[8][9]

Arktika has a nuclear-turbo-electric powertrain. The onboard nuclear power plant consists of two 175 MWt RITM-200 pressurized water reactors and two 36 MWe turbogenerators.[46][47][48] The propulsion system follows the classic polar icebreaker pattern with three 6.2-metre (20 ft) four-bladed propellers driven by 20-megawatt (27,000 hp) electric motors.[49][50] With a total propulsion power of 60 megawatts (80,000 hp), Arktika is designed to be capable of breaking 2.8 metres (9 ft) thick level ice at a continuous speed of 1.5–2 knots (2.8–3.7 km/h; 1.7–2.3 mph) at full power when operating in deep water at design draught.[9]

Notes
  1. The type size series designation "LK-60Ya" (Russian: ЛК-60Я) comes from the Russian language word for "icebreaker" (Russian: ледокол, romanized: ledokol), propulsion power (60 megawatts), and the first letter of the Russian word for "nuclear" (Russian: ядерное, romanized: yadernoye).

References
  1. "Baltic Shipyard holds steel-cutting for LK-60 icebreaker of Project 22220". PortNews. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  2. "VNIIR-Progress St. Petersburg supplies equipment to Atomflot nuclear icebreakers". ABS Electro. 26 December 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  3. "Baltiysky Zavod lays down multipurpose icebreaker Arktika". PortNews. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  4. "Baltiysky Zavod launches Arktika, lead nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 22220 (photo)". PortNews. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  5. "The launching ceremony of the world's largest nuclear icebreaker took place at the Baltijskiy Zavod in Saint-Petersburg". Rosatom. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  6. "Атомный ледокол "Арктика" приступит к работе осенью 2020 года" (in Russian). Sudostroenie.info. 17 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  7. "Arktika (9694725)". Equasis. French Ministry for Transport. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  8. "Универсальный атомный ледокол проекта 22220" (in Russian). Rosatomflot. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  9. "Multipurpose nuclear icebreaker project 22220". United Shipbuilding Corporation. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  10. "Как ледокол "Арктика" готовился к ходовым испытаниям" (in Russian). Sudostroenie.info. 15 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  11. "Ледокол «Арктика» готов на 60%" (in Russian). Ruselprom. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  12. "The Nuclear icebreaker fleet". rosatom.ru. State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM. May 2016. Archived from the original on 21 June 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  13. "Video: World's Largest Ice-Breaker Launched in St. Petersburg Shipyard". Russia Insider. 26 September 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  14. Tsoy, L.G. (2012), "Не разучились ли наши судостроители проектировать ледоколы?", Морской флот (in Russian) (5)
  15. Tsoy, L.G.; Stoyanov, I.A.; Mikhailichenko, V.V.; Livshits, S.G. (1995), "Perspective types of Arctic icebreakers and their principal characteristics" (PDF), Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Port and Ocean Engineering under Arctic Conditions, 1995 (POAC'95), 1, pp. 13–26
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