Builder’s sea trials begin for Russia’s newest nuclear-powered icebreaker

United Shipbuilding Corporation’s (USC) Baltic Shipyard has begun conducting builder’s sea trials of Russia’s newest nuclear-powered icebreaker.

The 33,000-tonne, 173-metre-long Sibir (“Siberia”) is the second vessel under the Project 22220 series, which are the largest icebreakers ever constructed and the first class of nuclear-powered icebreakers to be built in Russia following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The trials are ongoing in the Gulf of Finland. The vessel will later undergo final outfitting in time for delivery to local operator Rosatom by the end of the year.