A Russian nuclear icebreaker sustained significant hull damage after colliding with a cargo ship on the Northern Sea Route. Images of the incident reveal a large gash on the icebreaker’s port side near the bow, reports gCaptain.
Damaged Sustained
A collision occurred in the Kara Sea on the night of January 26th involving the nuclear icebreaker and the dry bulk cargo ship. The incident happened while the icebreaker was escorting a cargo vessel and maintaining winter shipping lanes. AIS data suggests the icebreaker collided with the cargo vessel which was en route to the Ob Bay.
The condition of the cargo vessel is unknown. Nuclear icebreakers regularly escort LNG carriers and oil tankers in the Ob Bay area during winter. Atomflot, the operator of the icebreaker, has confirmed that the icebreaker remains seaworthy and continues operations in the Ob Bay. The damage sustained is not near the nuclear reactor, which is operating normally.
❗️⚓️🇷🇺 – Footage of the Collision Between the Nuclear Icebreaker '50 Years of Victory' and the Cargo Ship 'Yamal Krechet' in the Kara Sea
This incident occurred on the night of January 26, 2025, during an icebreaking operation where the icebreaker was assisting the cargo ship… pic.twitter.com/C38KvCXoEi
— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformant_x) January 28, 2025
Not The First Incident
It’s uncertain whether the icebreaker will complete its scheduled winter icebreaking duties or return to Murmansk for repairs. The icebreaker is one of eight Russian nuclear icebreakers and was the world’s largest before the Arktika-class icebreakers entered service in 2020. This isn’t the first such collision; in 2017, another nuclear icebreaker collided with a bulk carrier in the Kara Sea, with both vessels able to continue their voyages. A separate incident in 2010 involved two Russian tankers colliding in icy conditions, but their robust ice classification and double hull prevented any oil spills.
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Source: gCaptain
