CNN visits Russia's nuclear icebreaker Yamal

The Yamal is one of Russia’s biggest, most powerful icebreakers, and one of the few ships in the world capable of cutting through the thick Arctic pack ice.

Escorted by icebreakers, cargo ships and oil tankers crossing the Arctic can shave thousands of miles off a journey between Asia and Europe, saving fuel, and vastly reduce their carbon emissions.

As the traffic in the Arctic increases, so too will the need for icebreakers like the Yamal. At the same time could an increase in traffic in the region have a damaging ecological effect on the Arctic.

Watch video from the icebreaker Yamal on CNN

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