At the Baltic Shipyard, part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, the stern section with a crinoline was installed on the Project 22220 Arctic-class nuclear icebreaker "Leningrad". This was reported by the corporation's press service.
Operations to load the stern section, weighing almost 160 tons, were carried out in several stages. First, it was delivered to the slipway on a floating crane, and then, using several portal cranes, it was loaded into its designated place on board the "Leningrad". Next, specialists will install the section and complete the formation of the vessel's stern.
The stern is the aft part of the nuclear icebreaker's hull, one of the complex engineering units. Propellers and steering gear are located here. The rigidity of the stern section determines the safety of ice navigation when vessels follow closely behind the icebreaker.
Currently, on the "Leningrad", the installation of ship equipment and propeller-rudder complex devices continues, and the hull and ice belt are being formed. This section of the outer plating experiences maximum load when the nuclear icebreaker pushes through ice. The strength of the ice belt is ensured by using special steel 45 mm thick.
"Leningrad" is the sixth vessel of Project 22220 "Arctic" being built by the Baltic shipbuilders. It was laid down in St. Petersburg in January 2024 in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade stated that additional funds need to be allocated to complete this project due to increased costs for replacing imported equipment.