Launched in Saint Petersburg Russia the NS Ural was not actually commissioned until 2007. By that time it had a new name, the NS Let Pobedy, and a new designation the largest nuclear icebreaker in the world.
The vessel is impressive with an overall length of 521 feet, capacity for 138 persons and service bays carrying two Ka-32 helicopters. But the size of this vessel barely seems to be enough to float it’s two greatest assets; a pair of nuclear reactors capable of producing over 55 megawatts of power and over 25,000 tons of displacement which, combined, allow the Pobedy to break through sheets of ice up 9 feet thick.
To put that in perspective just 15 inches of ice is needed to safely support a 10 ton truck while the USCGC Polar Sea, the first American surface vessel to reach the North Pole, has 6 feet of ice crush capability.
In all Russia built 10 purpose built nuclear icebreakers with seven classed for ocean service and two classed for river duty. The country also built a commercial nuclear icebreaker, the NS Yamal, which was planned to be converted to an exploratory drillship but is now being prepared for use as an arctic cruise ship.
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.
Join the 110,090 members that receive our newsletter.
Have a news tip? Let us know.
An intense clip of an OOCL containership battling rough seas has resurfaced on social media, captivating viewers—and for good reason. This dramatic footage, filmed from a nearby vessel, captures the...
In a quiet corner of the Pacific last August, a vessel unlike any other was making what many thought was its final voyage. R/P FLIP (Floating Instrument Platform), the U.S....
by John Konrad (gCaptain) There is perhaps no single geographic feature that has done more for the American economy than the Mississippi River. Unlike any other river system on Earth,...
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
Sign Up
Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 110,090 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
