Project 22220 icebreaker

Project 22220, also known through the Russian type size series designation LK-60Ya,[note 1] is a series of Russian nuclear-powered icebreakers. As of 2020, three vessels have been launched at Baltic Shipyard in Saint Petersburg, fourth has been laid down, and fifth is on order. Project 22220 icebreakers are currently the largest and most powerful icebreakers launched, surpassing their predecessors of the Arktika class.[6]

Visualization of a Project 22220 icebreaker.
Class overview
Builders: Baltic Shipyard
Operators: FSUE Atomflot
Preceded by:
Built: 2013–present
In service: 2020– (planned)
Planned: 5
Building: 4
General characteristics [1][2]
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)[3]
Draft:
  • 10.5 m (34 ft) (dwl)
  • 8.65 m (28 ft) (minimum; operational)[4]
  • 8.50 m (28 ft) (minimum; design)
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)[5]
Crew: 75
Aviation facilities: Helideck and hangar

Development

LK-60Ya

After the Second World War, the Soviet Union launched an ambitious marine transportation development program with the intention of turning the ice-covered Northern Sea Route into a navigable shipping route which could be then used to extract natural resources from the Arctic. This included replacing the obsolete steam-powered icebreakers with more powerful diesel-electric vessels and culminated with the construction of the first nuclear-powered icebreaker in the late 1950s. The second phase, which began in the early 1970s and continued until the dissolution of the Soviet Union, further expanded the Soviet icebreaker fleet with new nuclear- and diesel-powered icebreakers that enabled uninterrupted year-round operation in the western part of the Northern Sea Route as well as extended the navigating season in the eastern sector.[7]

In the 1980s, studies by the Central Marine Research and Design Institute (CNIIMF) and the Central Design Bureau "Iceberg" resulted in "icebreaker type size series" ranging from 7-megawatt auxiliary icebreakers (LK-7) to a 110-megawatt nuclear-powered "icebreaker-leaders" (LK-110Ya). One of the proposed new icebreaker classes, LK-60Ya, was developed as a direct replacement for the previous-generation Arktika-class nuclear-powered icebreakers which had entered service in the late 1970s and seen widespread use in the Russian Arctic.[7] In addition to operating as heavy line icebreakers along the full length of the Northern Sea Route from Murmansk all the way to the Bering Strait, the new 60-megawatt icebreakers would also replace the shallow-draft nuclear-powered icebreakers Taymyr and Vaygach on the Dudinka-Murmansk route which included icebreaking operations in the Yenisey river estuary. The latter operation was made possible by the novel dual-draft functionality, ability to de-ballast the vessel when approaching shallow coastal areas. Other technical characteristics of the next-generation nuclear-powered icebreakers were drawn from the Russians' extensive operational experience from Arctic shipping. For example, it was determined that in order to ensure reliable year-round navigation in the western part of the Northern Sea Route, LK-60Ya would have to be capable of breaking at least 2.8-metre (9 ft) ice, an improvement over the old Arktika's 2.3-metre (8 ft) icebreaking capability. In addition, escorting Russian Arctic cargo ships such as the then-common SA-15 type safely and efficiently in heavy ice conditions would require an icebreaker with a beam of 32 to 33 metres (105 to 108 ft) and a displacement of 34,000 to 36,000 tonnes (33,000 to 35,000 long tons).[7][8]

While traffic volumes along the Northern Sea Route declined drastically in the early 1990s due to the slowdown of the Russian economy,[9] an ambitious fleet renewal program was nonetheless launched under the presidential program Revival of the Merchant Fleet of Russia (1993–2000). In the end, none of the planned icebreakers were built and the follow-up federal program Modernization of the transport system of Russia (2002–2010) included funding for the construction of only two new diesel-electric icebreakers in addition to completing the unfinished Arktika-class icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy and starting the preliminary design development of the next generation nuclear-powered icebreakers.[10][11][12]

Project 22220

Although the preliminary design had been developed already in the late 1980s,[8][13] the final technical design of LK-60Ya was completed in 2009 by Central Design Bureau "Iceberg" as Project 22220.[14]

The construction of the lead ship was awarded to Saint Petersburg-based Baltic Shipyard, part of the state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation, in August 2012 with a contract price of 36.959 billion rubles (about US$1.16 billion).[15] A 84.4 billion ruble (about US$2.4 billion) follow-up contract for two additional vessels was signed in May 2014[16][17] and a second contract, worth over 100 billion rubles (about US$1.5 billion), for two more in August 2019.[18][19] As of 2020, there are a total of five Project 22220 nuclear-powered icebreakers under construction or on order.

With the Project 22220 icebreakers under construction, focus has moved to the development of even larger and more powerful nuclear-powered icebreakers known as Project 10510 Lider.

Construction
Sibir under construction at Baltic Shipyard, December 2018

The construction of the first Project 22220 icebreaker began with a steel cutting ceremony on 1 November 2012.[20] The keel of the lead ship of the class was laid on the slipway on 5 November 2013[21] and the vessel was launched on 16 June 2016.[22] The vessel was named Arktika (Russian: Арктика, tr. Arctic, IPA: [ˈarktʲɪkə]) after the first surface ship to reach the North Pole that was in service in 1975–2008.[23] While initially scheduled for delivery by December 2017,[20] the construction of the lead Project 22220 icebreaker has fallen behind schedule due to problems related to the delivery of domestically-sourced components.[24][25] Arktika began the first stage of sea trials in Gulf of Finland under diesel power on 12 December 2019 and returned to Saint Petersburg two days later.[26][27] The final phase of sea trials, during which the vessel will be tested under nuclear power, commenced on 23 June.[28]

The keel of the second Project 22220 icebreaker (which the Russians refer to as the "first serial ship" of the class) was laid on 26 May 2015.[29] The icebreaker was launched as Sibir (Russian: Сибирь, tr. Siberia) on 22 September 2017.[30] Previously, the name had been used on the second Arktika-class icebreaker that was in service in 1977–1992.[31] As with the lead ship, the problems with equipment delivery have postponed the delivery of the vessel from 2018 to 2021.[32][33]

The keel-laying ceremony of the third ("second serial") Project 22220 icebreaker was held on 25 July 2016 shortly after the partially-assembled hull of Sibir had been moved down the slipway for final hull assembly.[34][35] The vessel was launched on 27 May 2019 as Ural (Russian: Урал).[36] The name had previously been selected for the final Arktika-class icebreaker when it was laid down in 1989, but during the construction the vessel was renamed 50 Let Pobedy (Russian: 50 лет Победы, tr. 50 Years of Victory).[37] The delivery of the vessel, initially scheduled for 2020, has been postponed to 2022.[33]

Steel cutting for the fourth ("third serial") Project 22220 icebreaker began in late 2019 and the keel was laid on 26 May 2020. The vessel will be named Yakutiya (Russian: Якутия).[4][38]

As of July 2020, the production of the fifth ("fourth serial") Project 22220 icebreaker, Chukotka (Russian: Чукотка) has not begun.[39] The keel laying is scheduled for 2021.[40]

Design

General characteristics

Project 22220 icebreakers are 173.3 metres (569 ft) long overall and 160.0 metres (525 ft) at design waterline. While the maximum beam is 34 metres (112 ft), at design waterline the width of the hull reduces to 33 metres (108 ft) due to inclined sides. In order to be able to operate efficiently both in shallow Arctic river estuaries as well as along the Northern Sea Route, the draught of the Project 22220 icebreakers can be varied by taking in and discharging ballast water. Originally designed with an operational draught range of 8.5 to 10.5 metres (27 ft 11 in to 34 ft 5 in),[1] the minimum operational draught has since increased at first to 8.55 metres (28 ft 1 in)[41] and later to 8.65 metres (28 ft 5 in).[4] At minimum draught of 8.5 metres (28 ft), the icebreakers have a displacement of 25,540 tonnes (25,140 long tons) while the full load displacement at design draught is 33,530 tonnes (33,000 long tons).[1][2] In terms of size, Project 22220 icebreakers will be 13.7 metres (45 ft) longer and 4 metres (13 ft) wider than 50 Let Pobedy, previously the world's largest icebreaker, and at full load have about one third greater displacement.

The ice class of Project 22220 icebreakers, Icebreaker9, is the highest assigned by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS) and allows operation in up to 4 metres (13 ft) thick ice during the winter and spring navigating period.[42]

Power, propulsion and performance

Like the preceding Russian nuclear-powered icebreakers since the 1959-built Lenin, Project 22220 icebreakers feature a nuclear-turbo-electric powertrain in which nuclear reactors produce steam for turbogenerators which, in turn, generate electrical power for propulsion motors driving the ship's propellers.

The onboard nuclear power plant consists of two RITM-200 pressurized water reactors with a thermal output of 175 MWt each. The reactors, developed by OKBM Afrikantov, use up to 20% enriched Uranium-235 and, when operating with a capacity factor of 0.65, require refueling every seven years over a 40-year planned service life. The external dimensions of the two-reactor plant located amidships are 6 by 13.2 by 15.5 metres (20 by 43 by 51 ft) and each reactor weighs 1,100 tonnes (1,100 long tons; 1,200 short tons).[43] Two main turbogenerators produced by Kirov-Energomash each generate 36 megawatts of electrical power at 3,000 rpm.[44][45]

The propulsion system of Project 22220 icebreakers follows the classic polar icebreaker pattern with three shaft lines and a single rudder. The 6.2-metre (20 ft) four-bladed fixed pitch propellers, each driven by a 20-megawatt (27,000 hp) electric motor,[46] are made of stainless steel and weigh about 60 tonnes (59 long tons; 66 short tons) apiece.[47] With a total propulsion power of 60 megawatts (80,000 hp), Project 22220 icebreakers supersede the 56-megawatt (75,000 hp) Yamal and 50 Let Pobedy — the two remaining Arktika-class icebreakers in service — as the world's most powerful icebreakers.[6][48]

Project 22220 icebreakers are 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.[2] In open water, the icebreakers can achieve a speed of 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph).[1]

Ships in class
Name Builder Yard number IMO number Laid down Launched Commissioned Status
Arktika Baltic Shipyard 05706 9694725 5 November 2013[21] 16 June 2016[22] October 2020 (planned)[49] Launched
Sibir Baltic Shipyard 05707 9774422 26 May 2015[29] 22 September 2017[30] 2021 (planned)[33] Launched
Ural Baltic Shipyard 05708 9658642 25 July 2016[34] 25 May 2019[36] 2022 (planned)[33] Launched
Yakutiya[39] Baltic Shipyard 05709[50] 9911202 26 May 2020[4] 2024 (planned)[51] Under construction
Chukotka[39] Baltic Shipyard 05712[50] 2021 (planned)[40] 2027 (planned)[51] Ordered
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See also

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. "Универсальный атомный ледокол проекта 22220" (in Russian). Rosatomflot. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  2. "Multipurpose nuclear icebreaker project 22220". United Shipbuilding Corporation. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  3. "Как ледокол "Арктика" готовился к ходовым испытаниям" (in Russian). Sudostroenie.info. 15 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  4. "Baltiysky Zavod lays down forth 60-MW icebreaker of Project 22220". PortNews. 26 May 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  5. "Ледокол «Арктика» готов на 60%" (in Russian). Ruselprom. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  6. "World's largest nuclear icebreaker starts sea trials". The Barents Observer. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  7. 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
  8. Tsoy, L.G. (1994), "New generation Arktika class nuclear icebreaker feasibility study", Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Ships and Marine Structures in Cold Regions, 1994 (ICETECH'95), pp. P1–P8
  9. Les Défis Pour la Société Européenne À L'aube de L'an 2000: Stratégies Pour Un Développement Durable Des Etats Du Nord de L'Europe, Council of Europe, 1998, p. 94
  10. Borduchenko, Y.L. (26 June 2013). "Развитие отечественного ледокольного флота" (in Russian). PRoAtom.ru. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  11. Borduchenko, Y.L. (10 April 2012). "Современное состояние и перспективы развития атомного ледокольного флота России" (in Russian). PRoAtom.ru. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  12. "Федеральная целевая программа "Модернизация транспортной системы России (2002-2010 годы)"" (in Russian). Russian Government. 5 December 2011. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  13. Tsoy, L.G. (2012), "Не разучились ли наши судостроители проектировать ледоколы?", Морской флот (in Russian) (5)
  14. "Largest icebreaker construction now underway". The Motorship. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  15. "Baltic Shipyard to build new large nuclear-powered icebreaker (Project 22220 LC-60YA)". Navy Recognition. 7 August 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  16. "Baltic Shipyard building nuclear icebreaker". VEUS e.V. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  17. "Baltiysky Shipyard to build three new icebreakers by 2020". Barents Observer. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  18. "Atomflot Inks Contract for Another Two Nuclear-Powered Icebreakers". PortNews. 5 September 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  19. "Russia's ATOMFLOT Orders 4th & 5th Project 22220 Nuclear-Powered Icebreakers". Naval News. 11 August 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  20. "Baltic Shipyard holds steel-cutting for LK-60 icebreaker of Project 22220". PortNews. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  21. "Baltiysky Zavod lays down multipurpose icebreaker Arktika". PortNews. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  22. "Baltiysky Zavod launches Arktika, lead nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 22220 (photo)". PortNews. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  23. "World's Largest Nuclear Icebreaker Starts Sea Trials". The Moscow Times. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  24. ""Балтийский завод – Судостроение" срывает сроки сдачи атомных ледоколов для "Росатома"" (in Russian). DP.ru. 28 February 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  25. "Troubled waters for Russia's nuclear icebreaker program". The Barents Observer. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  26. "Russia's Largest Icebreaker Starts Sea Trials". Maritime Executive. 14 December 2019. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  27. "Атомный ледокол "Арктика" вышел на ходовые испытания" (in Russian). United Shipbuilding Corporation. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  28. "Головной универсальный атомный ледокол «Арктика» вышел на заключительный этап ходовых испытаний" (in Russian). Мурманский вестник. 23 June 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  29. "Keel laying ceremony of the nuclear-powered icebreaker takes place at the Baltic Shipyard". PortNews. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  30. "Baltiysky Zavod launches Sibir, first serial nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 22220 (photo)". PortNews. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  31. "Russia scraps three nuclear icebreakers". Barents Observer. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  32. "Atomflot announces tender for construction of two serial nuclear icebreakers". PortNews. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  33. "Russia's Rosatomflot Launches Third New Nuclear Icebreaker". High North News. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  34. "Second serial icebreaker of project 22220, the Ural, laid down at Baltiysky Zavod (photo)". PortNews. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  35. "Hull of the Siberia, first serial icebreaker of project 22220, shifted to a new position at Baltiysky Zavod shipyard". PortNews. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  36. "Nuclear-powered icebreaker Ural, Project 22220, launched at Baltiysky Zavod shipyard in Saint-Petersburg (video)". PortNews. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
  37. Savelyev, Igor. "Nuclear giant goes out to the Northern Sea route". Maritime Market. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  38. "Yakutiya (9911202)". Sea-web. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  39. "Четвертый ледокол типа «Арктика» заложат в мае" (in Russian). Издательство «Морские вести России». 6 May 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  40. "Fifth 60-MW icebreaker of 22220 design, Chukotka, is to be laid down in 2021". PortNews. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  41. "Ледокол проекта 22220 может получить расширенный корпус" (in Russian). Sudostroenie.info. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  42. "Rules for the Classification and Construction of Sea-Going Ships, Part I: Classification". Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  43. "Serving the nuclear machine building industry since 1945" (PDF). JSC "Afrikantov OKBM". Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  44. "Kirovsky Zavod Will Manufacture a Steam-Turbine Plant for the World's Largest Nuclear-Powered Ice-Breaker". Kirovsky Zavod. 27 August 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  45. "Турбогенератор РУСЭЛПРОМА установили на атомный ледокол" (in Russian). Ruselprom. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  46. "Электродвигатели «Русэлпрома» погружены на ледокол «Сибирь»" (in Russian). Ruselprom. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  47. ""Звездочка" изготовила лопасти гребных винтов для головного атомного ледокола" (in Russian). TASS. 20 April 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  48. "Атомные ледоколы" (in Russian). Rosatomflot. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  49. "Атомный ледокол "Арктика" приступит к работе осенью 2020 года" (in Russian). Sudostroenie.info. 17 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  50. "Крыловский центр закупает гребные электродвигатели для двух ледоколов проекта 22220" (in Russian). Sudostroenie.info. 28 February 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  51. "Балтийский завод планирует заложить новый серийный ледокол проекта 22220 в мае" (in Russian). TASS. 30 April 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
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