Rosatom’s Atomflot marks the 65th anniversary of the world’s only nuclear icebreaker fleet. This milestone commemorates the launch of Lenin, the world’s first nuclear-powered icebreaker, on December 3, 1959, a groundbreaking event that unlocked the transportation potential of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and revolutionized Arctic navigation.
Lenin was a pioneering vessel powered by two nuclear reactors, with a total thermal capacity of 318 MW and a delivered horsepower of 32 MW, and could operate for up to four years without refueling. During its service for over 30 years service, the icebreaker covered 654,000 nautical miles and escorted 3,741 ships through treacherous Arctic ice. Today, Lenin is docked at the Murmansk seaport as a museum, attracting over 60,000 visitors annually to its exhibition center dedicated to Russia’s nuclear icebreaker fleet.
Since the launch of Lenin, Russia has continuously enhanced its nuclear icebreaking technology. The current fleet, operated by Atomflot, consists of seven nuclear icebreakers, including three vessels from Project 22220: Arktika (Lead Universal Nuclear Icebreaker), Siberia (First serial universal nuclear icebreaker), and Ural (Second serial universal nuclear icebreaker)
These vessels boast 60 MW of delivered horsepower and are powered by two RITM-200 reactors with a combined thermal capacity of 350 MW. Their innovative design allows them to operate for up to seven years without refueling and navigate ice up to 2.9 meters thick. With more than 90% of components sourced domestically, these icebreakers are versatile and capable of adjusting their draft to operate in both deep-sea and shallow estuarine waters.
