The world's most powerful nuclear-powered icebreaker, Russia’s Arktika, the lead ship of Project 22220, was formally commissioned and began operation on 21 October.
The general directors of Atomflot Mustafa Kashka and the Baltiysky Zavod Aleksey Kadilov signed an acceptance certificate in the port of Murmansk. The national flag of Russia was raised and the ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Arktika, which is 173.3 metres long and 34 metres wide with a displacement of 33,500 tons, is moored at the Atomflot base in Murmansk after completing extensive tests. However, further tests will take place when the ice becomes thicker, said ship captain Oleg Shchapin. "Ice tests are still ahead, probably this year, because in the recent tests the ice was thin and loose, the icebreaker received no resistance at all. We tried but failed to find a three-metre ice floe.”
Digital twin of the Arctic
Meanwhile, Mikhail Kuznetsov, director of the Digital Technologies Department of the Far East Development Fund, said on 21 October that a new information system "Digital Twin of the Arctic" will make it possible to simulate every ship on the Northern Sea Route. He was addressing the Arctic Forum Week in Arkhangelsk.
“Our system should be qualitatively different from others as it makes possible georeferencing … It allows us to simulate each vessel, in fact, the economy of each voyage, based on the passport of each vessel, the history of its operation, speeds, all basic parameters,” he said.
“We also take an archive of all historical data on ice conditions and enter them into the system. Ice conditions affect the speed of the vessel, pilotage parameters, all this is taken into account in the system. Ports, main infrastructure facilities are also added to the syste so that each route is as realistic as possible, taking into account the weather and climatic conditions, and forecasts. It allows you to accurately calculate the need for icebreaker assistance, in ships to provide a cargo base.”
Photo: Russia’s Arktika, the lead ship of Project 22220, was formally commissioned on 21 October (Photo: Rosatom)
