Ural (icebreaker) explained

Ural (Russian: Урал) is a Russian Project 22220 nuclear-powered icebreaker. Built by Baltic Shipyard in Saint Petersburg, the vessel was laid down in 2016, launched in 2019 and delivered in 2022.

Development and construction

Background

In the late 1980s, the Russian research institutes and design bureaus developed a successor for the 1970s Arktika-class nuclear-powered icebreakers as part of a wider icebreaker fleet renewal program initiated shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The new 60-megawatt icebreaker, referred to using a type size series designation LK-60Ya,[1] would feature a so-called dual-draft functionality which would allow the vessel to operate in shallow coastal areas after de-ballasting. Although the preliminary designs had been developed almost two decades earlier, the LK-60Ya design was finalized in 2009 as Project 22220 by Central Design Bureau "Iceberg"[2] and the construction of the first vessel was awarded to Saint Petersburg-based Baltic Shipyard in August 2012.[3] Three additional contracts in May 2014, August 2019 and February 2023 have increased the number of Project 22220 icebreakers under construction or on order to seven.[4] [5] [6]

Construction

The tender for construction of two additional Project 22220 nuclear-powered icebreakers, referred to as the first and second serial vessels of the project, was announced at the keel laying ceremony of the lead ship Arktika on 5 November 2013.[7] On 8 May 2014, the 84.4 billion ruble (about US$2.4 billion)[8] contract for two vessels was awarded to the Saint Petersburg-based Baltic Shipyard which was the only company whose bid had been accepted.[9]

The keel of the third Project 22220 icebreaker was laid on 25 July 2016, shortly after the partially-assembled hull of the previous vessel, Sibir, had been moved down the slipway for final hull assembly.[10] [11] Unlike in the previous two vessels, the RITM-200 nuclear reactors were lifted onboard the vessel while it was still on the slipway.[12] By February 2019, the hull of the new icebreaker had been constructed up to the 40mm thick ice belt level,[13] and the vessel was launched as Ural on 27 May 2019.[14] The name had previously been selected for the final Arktika-class icebreaker when it was laid down in 1989, but during construction the vessel was renamed 50 Let Pobedy (Russian: 50 лет Победы||50 Years of Victory).[15]

Initially, the delivery of the third Project 22220 nuclear-powered icebreaker was scheduled for 2020,[7] but this has since been postponed to 2022 due to problems with the delivery of the steam turbines from a domestic manufacturer.[16]

On 26 May 2020, Urals level of technical readiness was reported to be 50 %.[17]

In February 2021, there was a minor fire onboard the icebreaker.[18]

Ural left for the sea trials on 14 October 2022[19] and returned to the shipyard on 31 October,[20] having reportedly finished factory sea trials in record time.[21]

The flag-raising ceremony marking Urals entry to service was held on 22 November 2022. The icebreaker left for its homeport, Murmansk, on the following day and arrived there on 30 November.[22] [23] On 2 December, the icebreaker departed for its first operational icebreaking mission to the Kara Sea.[24]

Career

After the icebreaking season, Ural sailed back to the Baltic Sea for scheduled repairs at Kronstadt Marine Plant which is the nearest Russian dry dock that can accommodate a vessel of this size.[25] The repairs were completed in late October.[26]

Design

Ural is 173.3m (568.6feet) long overall and has a maximum beam of 34m (112feet). Designed to operate efficiently both in shallow Arctic river estuaries as well as along the Northern Sea Route, the draught of the vessel can be varied between about 9and by taking in and discharging ballast water, corresponding to a displacement between 25540t33530t.[27]

Ural has a nuclear-turbo-electric powertrain. The onboard nuclear power plant consists of two 175 RITM-200 pressurized water reactors fueled by up to 20% enriched Uranium-235[28] and two 36 turbogenerators.[29] [30] [31] The propulsion system follows the classic polar icebreaker pattern with three 6.2m (20.3feet) four-bladed propellers driven by 20-3NaN-3 electric motors.[32] [33] With a total propulsion power of 60MW, Ural is designed to be capable of breaking 2.8m (09.2feet) thick level ice at a continuous speed of 1.5- at full power when operating in deep water at design draught.

Notes and References

  1. The type size series designation "LK-60Ya" (Russian: ЛК-60Я) comes from the Russian language word for "icebreaker" (Russian: text=ледокол|translit=ledokol), propulsion power (60 megawatts), and the first letter of the Russian word for "nuclear" (Russian: text=ядерное|translit=yadernoye).
  2. Web site: Largest icebreaker construction now underway. 26 January 2014. The Motorship. 24 December 2019. 12 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210812073223/https://www.motorship.com/news101/ships-and-shipyards/largest-icebreaker-construction-now-underway. live.
  3. Web site: Baltic Shipyard to build new large nuclear-powered icebreaker (Project 22220 LC-60YA). Navy Recognition. 7 August 2012. 24 December 2019. 19 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221119215957/https://navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/year-2012-news/august/552--baltic-shipyard-to-build-new-large-nuclear-powered-icebreaker-project-22220-lc-60ya.html. live.
  4. Web site: Baltiysky Shipyard to build three new icebreakers by 2020. Barents Observer. 8 May 2014. 24 December 2019. 31 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230331090316/https://barentsobserver.com/en/arctic/2014/05/baltiysky-shipyard-build-three-new-icebreakers-2020-08-05. live.
  5. Web site: Russia's ATOMFLOT Orders 4th & 5th Project 22220 Nuclear-Powered Icebreakers. Naval News. 11 August 2019. 24 December 2019. 30 January 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230130045217/https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2019/08/russias-atomflot-orders-4th-5th-project-22220-nuclear-powered-icebreakers/. live.
  6. Web site: Росатомфлот заключил контракт на строительство пятого и шестого серийных универсальных атомных ледоколов. ru. Rosatomflot. 3 February 2023. 3 February 2023. 3 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230203113048/http://rosatomflot.ru/press-centr/novosti-predpriyatiya/2023/02/03/11503-rosatomflot-zaklyuchil-kontrakt-na-stroitelstvo-pyatogo-i-shestogo-seriynyh-universalnyh-atomnyh-ledokolov/. live.
  7. Web site: Atomflot announces tender for construction of two serial nuclear icebreakers. PortNews. 5 November 2013. 25 December 2019. 12 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220812152205/https://en.portnews.ru/news/170189/. live.
  8. Web site: Baltic Shipyard building nuclear icebreaker. VEUS e.V.. 24 September 2014. 25 December 2019. 12 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210812071637/http://www.veus.de/index.php/de/news/128-baltic-shipyard-building-nuclear-icebreaker. live.
  9. Web site: Baltiysky Shipyard awarded no-bid contract for construction of two nuclear icebreakers of project 22220. PortNews. 8 May 2014. 25 December 2019. 25 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191225104548/http://en.portnews.ru/news/180025/. live.
  10. Web site: Second serial icebreaker of project 22220, the Ural, laid down at Baltiysky Zavod (photo). PortNews. 25 July 2016. 25 December 2019. 27 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230927143832/https://en.portnews.ru/news/223361/. live.
  11. Web site: Hull of the Siberia, first serial icebreaker of project 22220, shifted to a new position at Baltiysky Zavod shipyard. PortNews. 28 June 2016. 25 December 2019. 12 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220812152208/https://en.portnews.ru/news/221849/. live.
  12. Web site: Baltiysky Zavod shipyard loaded reactors onto nuclear-powered icebreaker Ural, second serial ship of Project 22220. PortNews. 12 November 2018. 25 December 2019. 25 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191225120854/http://en.portnews.ru/news/267526/. live.
  13. Web site: Baltiysky Zavod completed shaping ice belt of nuclear-powered icebreaker Ural of Project 22220. 20 February 2019. 25 December 2019. 25 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191225120252/http://en.portnews.ru/news/272609/. live.
  14. Web site: Nuclear-powered icebreaker Ural, Project 22220, launched at Baltiysky Zavod shipyard in Saint-Petersburg (video). PortNews. 27 May 2019. 25 December 2019. 29 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230929053736/https://en.portnews.ru/news/277520/. live.
  15. Web site: Nuclear giant goes out to the Northern Sea route. Igor. Savelyev. Maritime Market. 20 May 2019. 26 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201126154702/https://www.maritimemarket.ru/article.phtml?id=667&lang=en. dead.
  16. Web site: Russia's Rosatomflot Launches Third New Nuclear Icebreaker. 28 May 2019. 25 December 2019. High North News. 9 June 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230609122752/https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/russias-rosatomflot-launches-third-new-nuclear-icebreaker. live.
  17. Web site: Техготовность атомоходов "Сибирь" и "Урал" составляет 70% и 50% соответственно. ru. PortNews. 26 May 2020. 26 May 2020. 6 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200606053933/https://portnews.ru/news/296376/. live.
  18. Web site: В Петербурге произошло возгорание на строящемся атомном ледоколе "Урал". ru. RIA Novosti. 13 February 2020. 13 February 2020. 14 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210214073053/https://ria.ru/20210213/ledokol-1597359120.html. live.
  19. Web site: Baltiysky Zavod commences sea trials of nuclear-powered icebreaker Ural of Project 22220. PortNews. 14 October 2022. 14 October 2022. 14 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221014171407/https://en.portnews.ru/news/337036/. live.
  20. Web site: Атомный ледокол "Урал" вернулся на Балтийский завод. ru. Sudostroenie.info. 1 November 2022. 1 November 2022. 1 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221101122327/https://sudostroenie.info/novosti/37715.html. live.
  21. Web site: Атомный ледокол "Урал" завершил ходовые испытания. ru. Mil.Press FlotProm. 1 November 2022. 1 November 2022. 1 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221101112942/https://flotprom.ru/2022/%D0%91%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9%D0%97%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B47/. live.
  22. Web site: Nuclear-powered icebreaker Ural leaves Saint-Petersburg for its homeport Murmansk. PortNews. 23 November 2022. 23 November 2022. 23 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221123171833/https://en.portnews.ru/news/339053/. live.
  23. Web site: Атомный ледокол "Урал" готовится к выходу в первый рабочий рейс. ru. Sudostroenie.info. 30 November 2022. 4 December 2022. 4 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221204162240/https://sudostroenie.info/novosti/37974.html. live.
  24. Web site: Nuclear-powered icebreaker Ural of Project 22220 leaves Murmansk for the first operational voyage. PortNews. 2 December 2022. 4 December 2022. 4 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221204135219/https://en.portnews.ru/news/339556/. live.
  25. Web site: Less than a year after launch, Russia's newest nuclear icebreaker sails back to St. Petersburg yard. The Barents Observer. 28 July 2023. 25 October 2023. 30 October 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231030191649/https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/arctic/2023/07/less-year-after-launch-nuclear-icebreaker-ural-sails-back-st-petersburg-yard. live.
  26. Web site: Кронштадтский морской завод завершил ремонт атомного ледокола «Урал» проекта 22220. ru. Media Paluba. 25 October 2023. 25 October 2023. 30 October 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231030191800/https://paluba.media/news/59859. live.
  27. Web site: Испытание Дудинкой. «Сибирь» поборола лишний вес. ru. Fontanka.ru. 2 February 2022. 2 February 2022. 2 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220202133310/https://www.fontanka.ru/2022/02/02/70417997/. live.
  28. Web site: Marine Nuclear Power: 1939 – 2018. Peter. Lobner. 25 September 2021. 28 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220428074833/https://lynceans.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Marine-Nuclear-Power-1939-2018_Part-3A_R1_Russia_submarines.pdf. live.
  29. Web site: Serving the nuclear machine building industry since 1945. JSC "Afrikantov OKBM". 26 April 2020. 27 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200127142241/http://www.okbm.nnov.ru/upload/iblock/99a/99a99ac98bb4a29bc538d90b3d8be7dc.pdf. dead.
  30. Web site: Kirovsky Zavod Will Manufacture a Steam-Turbine Plant for the World's Largest Nuclear-Powered Ice-Breaker. Kirovsky Zavod. 27 August 2013. 26 April 2020. 27 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201027033844/https://kzgroup.ru/eng/m/110/kirovsky_zavod_will_manufacture_a_steam-turbine_plant_for_the_worlds_largest_nuclear-powered_ice-br.html. dead.
  31. Web site: Турбогенератор РУСЭЛПРОМА установили на атомный ледокол. ru. Ruselprom. 26 April 2020. 30 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221130182644/https://www.ruselprom.ru/about/press-tsentr/novosti/turbogenerator-ruselproma-ustanovili-na-atomnyy-ledokol-/. live.
  32. Web site: Электродвигатели "Русэлпрома" погружены на ледокол "Сибирь". Ruselprom. ru. 26 April 2020. 7 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230207141203/https://www.ruselprom.ru/about/press-tsentr/novosti/elektrodvigateli-ruselproma-pogruzheny-na-ledokol-sibir/. live.
  33. Web site: "Звездочка" изготовила лопасти гребных винтов для головного атомного ледокола. ru. 20 April 2016. 26 April 2020. 19 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221119220015/https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/3222109. live.

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