Nuclear Icebreaker "Ural" Expected to Be Commissioned in November 2022
February 13, 2025

The commissioning of the universal nuclear-powered icebreaker Ural, built under Project 22220, is scheduled for November 2022. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Viktor Evtukhov during a meeting of the State Commission on Arctic Development held on June 24.

According to Evtukhov, the development roadmap for the Northern Sea Route includes the construction of 37 vessels: 8 nuclear icebreakers, 16 search and rescue ships, and 13 hydrographic vessels. This fleet expansion includes icebreakers from Projects 22220 and 10510 ("Lider"). Two Project 22220 icebreakers — Arktika and Sibir — are already in service and operating along the Arctic shipping lanes.

Ural is the second serial unit (third overall) in the Project 22220 line. The vessel is being built at the Baltic Shipyard in Saint Petersburg under contract with FSUE Atomflot, a subsidiary of the state nuclear corporation Rosatom. The keel was laid on July 25, 2016, and the launch took place on May 25, 2019.

Technical specifications of Project 22220 icebreakers:

• Designer: Iceberg Central Design Bureau

• Length: 173.3 m

• Beam: 34 m

• Draft at design waterline: 10.5 m

• Minimum operating draft: 8.55 m

• Power: 60 MW

• Displacement: 33,540 tonnes

• Service life: 40 years

• Crew: 75

Once operational, Ural will further strengthen the Arctic icebreaking fleet, enabling reliable year-round navigation along the eastern sector of the Northern Sea Route.

Photo: Baltic Shipyard