Sovetskiy Soyuz icebreaker

NS Sovetskiy Soyuz ("атомный ледокол Советский Союз" is a Russian nuclear icebreaker. "NS" stands for "nuclear ship". The vessel is state-owned (by the Russian Federation via FSUE Atomflot) and operated by Rosatom. The Atomflot company provides all Russian nuclear icebreakers with maintenance and technological services. The company also serves the country's special vessels fleet.

The vessel (IMO number 8838582) is Russia-flagged (MMSI 273132300) and registered in Murmansk.

The sistership Rossiya (1985) was decommissioned in 2013.

The list of active Russian nuclear icebreakers includes Arktika (2020), Sibir (2021), Ural (2022), Taymyr (1989), Vaygach (1990), Yamal (1992, sistership), 50 Let Pobedy (2007, sistership), Sevmorput (1988/cargo ship).

Among Russia's largest icebreaker ships, Sovetskiy Soyuz is a nuclear-powered icebreaking vessel of the Arktika-class. This powerful ship's name translates as "Soviet Union". The vessel was docked in Murmansk (in the period 2007-2012) and used to source spare parts for other Russian nuclear ice-breaker ships.

Sovetskiy Soyuz was supposed to be officially decommissioned (taken out of service for good) in 2014 and subsequently scrapped. In 2012, Russia decided to repair NS Sovetskiy Soyuz and use it for another 8 years. The decision to save this nuclear ship came as the NS Rossiya was taken out of service (for nuclear fuel recharging) and all new-class Russian icebreakers were under construction.

The Sovetskiy Soyuz icebreaker's itinerary program includes operations in Kara Sea (part of the Arctic Ocean, north of Siberia) and Ob Bay (located in Northern Russia, at the Ob River'с mouth). Russia's nuclear fleet of ice-breaking vessels is used exclusively in the Arctic Ocean for escorting merchant ships and assisting research stations floating in the ice-covered waters north of Siberia. These ships are also used for scientific and Arctic cruise expeditions. The Russian nuclear ice-breakers must sail in ice-cold waters to effectively cool their reactors.

NS Sovetskiy Soyuz vessel details

NS Sovetskiy Soyuz belongs to the Arktika-class nuclear ships - until 2017 the world's largest and most powerful ever constructed.

NS Sovetskiy Soyuz is among the 6 vessels of this Arktika-Class - together with Sibir (1977-1992), Arktika (1975-2008), Rossiya (1985-2013), Yamal (1992), and 50 Let Pobedy (2007).

The vessel has 1 dining room, Sauna, Library, Auditorium, Passenger Lounge, Volleyball Court, Gymnasium, 1 swimming pool (indoor, heated), Infirmary, 1 elevator, 1 helipad (helicopter deck) with a Mi-2 transport helicopter.

• DWT Deadweight tonnage: 2750 tons
• Displacement tonnage: 20650 tons
• Clear path width: 50 m (164 ft)
• Draught: 8 m (26 ft min) 11 m (35 ft max)
• Icebreaking capacity: 2,8 m (9 ft)
• Ice-class LL1
• Range: unlimited (4 years endurance)
• Powerplant: 2x OK-900A nuclear reactors (each 171 MW, or combined 342 MW power output)
• Propulsion: turbo-electric, 3 shafts, 3 electric motors (17,6 MW output each, or 52,8 MW combined power output).

Note: In case of poor AIS coverage, tracking the vessel's current location will be impossible. You can see CruiseMapper's list of all icebreakers and ice-breaking research ships in the "itinerary" section of our Icebreakers hub. All states and their fleets are listed there.