---
title: "Russia’s Largest Ever Nuclear Icebreaker Is a Ship Captain’s Dream"
description: "Russia debuts its \"largest and most powerful\" nuclear-powered icebreaker in the world to help cargo ships wade into ice the icy seas."
date: "2016-06-21"
modified: "2016-11-29"
authors:
  - name: "Charmaine Caparas"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/charmaine"
url: "https://futurism.com/russias-largest-ever-nuclear-icebreaker-is-a-ship-captains-dream"
categories:
  - "Energy"
  - "Nuclear Fusion"
  - "Renewable Energy"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "arktika"
  - "Russia"
  - "ship"
---

# Russia’s Largest Ever Nuclear Icebreaker Is a Ship Captain’s Dream

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Russia-debuts-the-largest-ever-nuclear-icebreaker-A.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: \<a href="https://www.engadget.com/2016/06/20/russia-unveils-largest-nuclear-icebreaker/" target="\_blank"\>Engadget\</a\>\</em\>*

Titanic-style mishaps do not have a place in Russia, as the country announces its latest innovation: [the Arktika](<http://tass.ru/en/economy/882348>). The Arktika is being toted as the "largest and most powerful" [nuclear-powered](<https://futurism.com/answer-nuclear-waste-storage-transportation-metal-foam>) icebreaker in the world.

![Image source: Engadget](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/540647412-ed.jpg>)
*Engadget*

Measuring in at 173 meters (569 ft) long and 34 meters (112 ft) wide, the twin-reactor boat can carve a gigantic path through some of the sea's toughest obstacles. It can cut through ice roughly 10 feet thick, haul about 36,000 short tons, and there's a helicopter on board to scout for any upcoming floes.

The [Arktika project](<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/17/russia-floats-out-worlds-biggest-nuclear-powered-icebreaker/>) is estimated to cost the equivalent of $1.9 billion USD, but the ship won't go into service until near the end of 2017, when it'll escort oil and gas ships through northern waters to their destinations in Asia-Pacific. The high price tag of the project, however, is already putting a lot of pressure on it to succeed.