In the late 1980s, the Russian research institutes and design bureaus developed a successor for the 1970s Arktika-class nuclear-powered icebreakers as part of a wider icebreaker fleet renewal program initiated shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The new 60-megawatt icebreaker, referred to using a type size series designation LK-60Ya, would feature a so-called dual-draft functionality which would allow the vessel to operate in shallow coastal areas after de-ballasting. Although the preliminary designs had been developed more almost two decades earlier, the LK-60Ya design was finalized in 2009 as Project 22220 by Central Design Bureau "Iceberg" and the construction of the first vessel was awarded to Saint Petersburg-based Baltic Shipyard in August 2012. Two additional contracts in May 2014 and August 2019 have increased the number of Project 22220 icebreakers under construction or on order to five.
Construction
The tender for construction of two additional Project 22220 nuclear-powered icebreakers, referred to as the first and second serial vessels of the project, was announced at the keel laying ceremony of the lead shipArktika on 5 November 2013. On 8 May 2014, the 84.4 billion ruble contract for two vessels was awarded to the Saint Petersburg -based Baltic Shipyard which was the only company whose bid had been accepted. The keel of the second Project 22220 icebreaker was laid on 26 May 2015. After the launching of Arktika in June and in order to make way for the keel laying of the third icebreaker, the partially-assembled hull weighing about was moved about along the slipway to the position where final hull construction would take place. The icebreaker was launched as Sibir, Russian for Siberia, on 22 September 2017. Previously, the name had been used on the second Arktika-class icebreaker that was in service in 1977–1992. Initially, the delivery of the second Project 22220 nuclear-powered icebreaker was scheduled for 2018, but this has since been postponed to 2021 due to problems with the delivery of the steam turbines from a domestic manufacturer. On 26 May 2020, Sibirs level of technical readiness was reported to be 70%.
Design
Sibir is long overall and has a maximum beam of. Designed to operate efficiently both in shallow Arctic river estuaries as well as along the Northern Sea Route, the draught of the vessel can be varied between by taking in and discharging ballast water, corresponding to a displacement between. Sibir has a nuclear-turbo-electric powertrain. The onboard nuclear power plant consists of two 175 RITM-200pressurized water reactors and two 36 turbogenerators. The propulsion system follows the classic polar icebreaker pattern with three four-bladed propellers driven by electric motors. With a total propulsion power of, Sibir is designed to be capable of breaking thick level ice at a continuous speed of at full power when operating in deep water at design draught.
