Russia Sends Nuclear Icebreaker From Arctic to Baltic Sea as Severe Ice Chokes Shipping

Russia has dispatched two powerful icebreakers, including a nuclear-powered vessel, from Arctic waters to the Baltic Sea to help keep shipping lanes open as one of the harshest ice seasons in more than a decade disrupts maritime traffic across northern Europe.

Russia’s Transport Ministry said on Feb. 10 that nuclear icebreaker Sibir and conventional diesel-powered Murmansk would reach the Baltic by the end of February to reinforce four icebreakers already working near Russian ports.

The moves come as severe ice conditions grip the Baltic region, echoing a notorious winter in 2011 when hundreds of ships were trapped in ice approaching St. Petersburg. At that time nuclear icebreaker Vaigach had also been called from Arctic duties to assist in the Baltic Sea.

Sibir, one of Russia’s newest Arktika-class nuclear icebreakers, entered into service in 2022. It spent much of the past year escorting tankers along the Northern Sea Route, completing four full transits last summer and assisting vessels in the Chukchi Sea in late summer and autumn.

The vessel left the Barents Sea about a week ago, sailed south along Norway’s coastline and is now passing through the Danish Straits en route to the Baltic.

Murmansk, a diesel-powered icebreaker that had been working in the Yenisei Gulf since mid-November, also began heading west earlier this month and is currently rounding Norway’s southwestern tip.

Heavy ice throughout the Baltic Sea has strained regional fleets. Finland has deployed all eight icebreakers operated by state-owned Arctia, with the last two joining operations on Feb. 3. Sweden has committed all six of its icebreakers, and Estonia has deployed three vessels.

In Germany, ice blocked access to the Mukran LNG terminal, forcing ships to wait up to two weeks before a multipurpose vessel opened a channel to open water.

The harsh conditions also contributed to recent incidents, including an oil tanker, Tony, striking a berth at the Ust-Luga terminal on February 7 and the bulk carrier Sfera grounding near Seskar Island in the Gulf of Finland.

Russia relies heavily on winter navigation to keep exports flowing from Baltic ports that handle oil, coal, fertilizers and metals. Nuclear icebreakers can operate for months without refueling and break thicker ice than conventional ships, making them critical in extreme winters.

Officials say Sibir and Murmansk will work alongside existing Baltic icebreakers to escort convoys and maintain channels into Russian ports. Russia currently operates a half dozen icebreakers in the Arctic, including several nuclear vessels in the Gulf of Ob and Yenisei Gulf.

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