Russia held a launching ceremony for its 173 metres in length and 34 metres wide nuclear-powered icebreaker ‘Arktika’, said to be the world’s biggest and most powerful.
According to Russian media, Arktika is the lead ship of the €1.6 Project 22220, which aims to replace nuclear ships of the previous generation. Russia is the only country in the world to use nuclear-powered icebreakers.
It requires a crew of 75 people, and can carry up to 33,000 tonnes – and even has its own helicopter for ice reconnaissance.
The ship will be used to escort Russian boats carrying oil and gas from the oil fields of the Yamal Peninsula and Gdansk to the markets of the Asia-Pacific region and is due to go into service in December 2017.