Metal Cutting Begins for Nuclear Icebreaker Stalingrad

Wedoany.com Report-May 11, Construction has begun on the seventh nuclear-powered icebreaker in Russia’s Project 22220 series, named Stalingrad, with the first metal cut at the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg. The vessel is slated for completion and delivery in December 2030, with its keel-laying scheduled for November this year and launch planned for 2028.

The Project 22220 fleet includes operational icebreakers Arktika, Sibir, Ural, and Yakutia, as well as Chukotka and Leningrad, which are under construction. These vessels, measuring 173 meters long, 34 meters wide, and 57 meters from waterline to mainmast, are designed to break ice up to three meters thick and achieve speeds of 22 knots in open water. Each is powered by two RITM-200 reactors, delivering 175 MW thermal capacity and 30 MW at the propellers. The reactors, 7.3 meters high and 3.3 meters in diameter, are lighter, more compact, and 25 MW more powerful than previous designs, with a 40-year service life.

Alexander Konovalov, Director General of Baltic Shipyard, stated: “Construction had started on the eve of the 80th anniversary of victory in the Second World War in Europe and will personify the power and technological leadership of modern Russia in the Arctic.” The Stalingrad honors the historical defense of the city during the war.

The icebreakers support Russia’s Northern Sea Route, a 5,600-kilometer shipping lane from St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, reducing travel distance and time between northern Europe and Asia. Compared to the Suez Canal, the route halves the distance from Murmansk to Japanese ports, cutting transit time from 37 to 18 days. Rising temperatures have increased the route’s viability, supported by the Project 22220 icebreaker program.

In 2024, Rosatom reported 37.8 million tonnes of cargo on the Northern Sea Route, surpassing the previous record by 1.6 million tonnes. The route saw 92 transit voyages, handling 3 million tonnes of transit cargo, with nuclear icebreakers providing 976 escorts. Alexei Likhachev, Rosatom’s Director General, noted last month: “The planned increase in Northern Sea Route trade meant that the number of icebreakers required will increase from 10 or 11 to between 15 and 17.”

The Stalingrad’s construction reinforces Russia’s commitment to enhancing Arctic navigation and trade efficiency, leveraging advanced nuclear technology to ensure reliable access to the Northern Sea Route for global shipping.