by Marina MALYGINA, journalist In late 2012, the JSC Baltiysky Zavod-Shipbuilding in St. Petersburg started practical implementation of a project for creation of a multipurpose atomic icebreaker of the LK-60Ya series with metal plasma cutting for its hull. It will be the first of three atomic vessels of a new generation capable of piloting tankers of up to 70,0001 displacement through ice. It is just these icebreakers, which will provide all-year navigation along the Northern Sea Route in the coming 40-50 years. Provisions were made for over 90 bin roubles in the budget of the customer Atomflot, a constituent of the Rosatom state corporation, for acquisition of high-tech transport vehicles. Let us remind you that in August of 2012 an agreement for building of an icebreaker was signed by Atomflot and the JSC Baltiysky Zavod, the only enterprise in the country capable of building atomic giants of 60 MW capacity without preliminary investments. Under the agreement, the work on the stocks will start in November of this year and a ready-for-service ship shall be moored in Murmansk on December 3, 2017. This date is not accidental as it was just on that day in 1959 that the first in the world atomic icebreaker Lenin came to the northern region from Leningrad. The fleet transferred into ownership of the Rosatom state стр. 38 corporation in 2008 includes today four atomic vessels of the Arktika series (Russia, Soviet Union, Yamal and 50 Years of Victory*), two shallow-draught icebreakers Taimyr and Vaigach for navigation in the estuaries of the Ob and Yenisei rivers and also five floating maintenance bases. But the service life of most icebreakers will be used up by 2018, and starting from 2016 they will be gradually taken out of service. Icebreakers of a new class shall replace them. THE NORTH OPENS UP NEW PERSPECTIVES However, not only natural "aging" of the national icebreaker fleet compels construction of icebreakers of the LK-60 ... Read more