“Sovyetsky Soyuz” returns to service

The icebreaker has been laid up in reserve at RTP Atomflot base in Murmansk for several years. In the 90ties, “Sovyetsky Soyuz” was sailing tourist-cruises to the North Pole in the summer period.

Increased traffic along the Northern Sea Route is the reason why Rosatomflot, the state own corporation that operates Russia’s fleet of nuclear powered icebreakers, now want the old vessel back in service.

- With the growing cargo flow in the Arctic, in 2012 we shall start using a nuclear icebreaker which has been in reserve until now, says Head of Atomflot’s office in Moscow Stanislav Golovinsku to Itar-Tass.

With “Sovyetsky Soyuz” back in service, Russia will have six nuclear powered icebreakers in operation in the Arctic. The others of the same class are “Yamal”, “50 Years of Victory” and “Rossia”. The two other nuclear powered icebreakers “Taimyr” and “Vaigach” are especially designed for shallow waters, mainly operating between the Kara Sea and the river port of Dudinka in Yenisei.

Read also: Spending 79 billion RUB on new icebreakers

Due to record fast decline of sea ice 2011 became the longest sailing season ever along the Northern Sea Route, lasting near four and a half months. During the season, there have been 29 voyages along the whole route from Murmansk to the Strait of Bering. In addition, there have been a high number of vessels sailing between Murmansk and ports along Russia’s Arctic coast.