Yakutia Nuclear Icebreaker Arrived in Murmansk

On April 13, an official ceremony was held at the premises of FSUE Atomflot (a Rosatom enterprise) to celebrate the arrival of the third serial universal nuclear-powered icebreaker, Yakutia, to its home port of Murmansk. The night before, the ship moored at the Atomflot base. Her voyage from St. Petersburg took six days. "The Yakutia universal nuclear-powered icebreaker is ready to operate in the waters of the Northern Sea Route," said Yakov Antonov, Acting Director General of FSUE Atomflot. "We plan to launch the ship on her first regular voyage on April 15. The icebreaker crew will work in the Yenisei region of the Kara Sea. The period of ice growth is now coming to an end in the water area of the Northern Sea Route. The Yakutia nuclear-powered icebreaker will have an excellent opportunity to demonstrate all its main technical advantages: power, maneuverability and dual-draft functionality." During the voyage from St. Petersburg to her home port Murmansk, the Yakutia universal nuclear-powered icebreaker passed through the Baltic, North, Norwegian and Barents Seas. The vessel traveled 2,470 nautical miles at an average speed of 16 knots. "This is my first regular voyage as a captain," said Dmitry Nikitin, Captain of the Yakutia SUNPI. "Of course, we are a bit nervous about how the icebreaker will perform in the ice. There comes an important stage in the ship operation. But I have confidence in my crew. The mechanics know their business excellently and the navigators have successful experience of working in open sea ice and in estuaries. We are a team, which means we will nail it." Once the vessel is prepared for the voyage and all the supplies are furnished, the Yakutia serial universal nuclear-powered icebreaker will set a course in the direction of the Yenisei region of the Kara Sea.