The government is developing mechanisms for extra-budgetary financing to complete the construction of the nuclear icebreakers "Leningrad" and "Stalingrad," as well as their support vessel. The initiative comes from the Cabinet of Ministers, which is considering two scenarios for attracting funds.
The first scenario involves introducing a targeted levy of 0.2 dollars per ton of export cargo passing through Russian ports. The second option is an additional fee for transportation along the Northern Sea Route: from 2027, the rate could start at 1.5 dollars per ton, rise to 2.75 dollars by 2030–2031, and then gradually decrease by 2035.
With current transportation volumes, the first mechanism will provide about 4 billion rubles annually, and the second – more than 10 billion; however, over a ten-year perspective, the total revenues from both options will equalize.
The collected funds will be directed towards the completion of the fifth and sixth universal nuclear icebreakers of Project 22220 and a multi-functional nuclear technology service vessel.
Initially, each icebreaker was estimated at 59 billion rubles, and the service vessel at 25 billion. According to a source familiar with current calculations, the cost of one icebreaker has now reached 85 billion rubles, which led to the search for alternative funding sources.
Both collection options require the development of a regulatory framework and coordination with participants in foreign economic activity. The government will make a final decision on the mechanism and rates after assessing macroeconomic effects and the burden on logistics chains.
Read more on the topic:
- Three Hearts of an Atomic Giant: Propulsion Electric Motors of the Icebreaker "Leningrad" Take Their Designated Positions
- Sevmash manufactured and shipped the third bearing for the nuclear icebreaker of project 22220 "Leningrad"
- Construction reduced from seven to five years: nuclear icebreaker "Stalingrad" Project 22220 laid down at the Baltic Shipyard on November 18