Russian icebreaker project faces delays as cargo ship sinks
The Russian cargo ship "Ursa Major" sank earlier this week in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria. Onboard were components for the new nuclear-powered icebreaker "Rossiya," reports the Norwegian online newspaper "The Barents Observer".
The ship "Ursa Major," owned by Oborologistics LLC, sank in the Mediterranean Sea on Monday (23rd December). Of the 16 crew members, 14 were rescued, while two are still missing.
According to the Norwegian newspaper "The Barents Observer," the ship transported cargo from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok. Onboard were two large cranes and two reactor covers weighing approximately 50 tonnes each, intended for the new nuclear-powered icebreaker "Rossiya".
These covers are used during reactor maintenance, such as reloading spent nuclear fuel.
Problems with the construction of the icebreaker "Rossiya"
"Rossiya," the only nuclear-powered icebreaker currently being built in Russia, is under construction at the Bolshoi Kamen shipyard. The construction faces numerous delays and cost overruns. The first pressure vessel for one of the two RITM-400 reactors was completed in 2022.
The new icebreaker is expected to be the most powerful in Russia, with reactors producing 315 MW. Its task will be to support LNG transport from the Yamal region to Asia, allowing navigation through the most difficult icy areas.
The sinking of "Ursa Major" and the loss of reactor covers may result in further delays in the construction of "Rossiya". Rosatomflot plans to use the icebreaker to break ice on routes across the East Siberian and Chukchi Seas, where the ice is thickest. This is crucial for increasing LNG exports from Russia to Asia.
A strategic project for Russia
The icebreaker is needed for the so-called Arctic Route, which aims to help Russia mitigate the effects of Western sanctions imposed following the invasion of Ukraine and strengthen Moscow's pivot towards Asian powers—China and India. The problem is that Vladimir Putin lacks a fleet capable of navigating the challenging corridor.
According to analysts from PISM, the Arctic sea route could shorten the journey from Asia to Europe by 30% compared to the southern sea route via the Suez Canal. The route from the Chinese port of Dalian to Rotterdam via the northern route would be approximately 9,200 kilometres shorter than through the Suez Canal.
According to Kommersant statistics, 30 Russian vessels operated on the Arctic Route last year. Of these, 17 were tankers and LNG carriers from Novatek, seven tankers from Gazprom Neft, and six ships from Norilsk Nickel.
Shipments in this direction increased to 40 million tonnes in 2023, with 78 million tonnes transported by May 2024, but plans are much more ambitious. According to the Russian Business Daily, the volume of cargo transported via the Northern Sea Route is estimated to reach 53-150 million tonnes by 2030 and 220 million tonnes by 2035. The development cost of the routes reaches 7,19 billion euros.
