Powerful icebreaker “Captain Gotsky. Made by us Please tell us about the main operation of the icebreaker
In late March, the international Arctic forum “The Arctic Territory of Dialogue” took place in Arkhangelsk. As part of the forum, there were exhibitions that showed modern Russian technologies for the development of the North. Participants demonstrated domestic breakthrough technologies in the field of responsible resource development and environmental protection.
One of the largest “full-scale” objects of the exposition was the icebreaker of the FSUE “Rosmorport” fleet “Novorossiysk”. During the Arctic Forum, a unique opportunity arose to get on an icebreaker, which I took advantage of.
On board the Novorossiysk, the captain of the icebreaker, Yaroslav Verzhbitsky, met me and told me about the icebreaker, the crew and the harsh everyday life.
- Yaroslav Yaroslavovich, tell us how you became the captain of the icebreaker "Novorossiysk"? How long did it take to achieve this?
In 1991 he graduated from the State Maritime Academy named after Admiral S.O. Makarov in St. Petersburg. After that he worked mainly on small tankers. In 2008, I had the opportunity to become familiar with the specifics of working on an icebreaker. He became a captain in 2009 on the icebreaker "St. Petersburg" of the "Moscow" project. After that, again as a captain on the icebreaker Vladivostok, then Novorossiysk.
2. Icebreaker "Novorossiysk" at the pier of the Red Pier in Arkhangelsk. 
- "Novorossiysk", like "Vladivostok", are icebreakers of the same project - 21900M. Are there any differences between them?
There are no differences from Vladivostok, they are exactly the same. The icebreaker "Murmansk" is a little different; it is the second in the series. It has an external elevator that can be used to lift people with disabilities, but Vladivostok and Novorossiysk do not have this.
3. Icebreaker navigation bridge. 
- How do you prepare for work on a new icebreaker?
As I already said, before Novorossiysk I already worked on an icebreaker of this project. They are practically no different from each other. Therefore, I did not have any difficulties in mastering the ability to operate the new equipment.
4. Central control panel on the navigation bridge. 
- Tell us about the main tasks of the icebreaker "Novorossiysk"
The main task is icebreaking support for the movement of ships entering and exiting the port. We can conduct it either by leading or in tow. If the situation is really difficult, then we take it in tow, because often ballast ships cannot sail on their own, despite a fairly wide channel, or in a situation of strong compression.
5. Helipad 
Do Novorossiysk and the Project 21900 icebreakers have any features that can distinguish them from classic icebreakers?
Icebreakers built in recent years are steered using rotary rudder propellers or azipods. If classic icebreakers maneuver using a rudder, here the propellers themselves, mounted on the columns, rotate. This is how the icebreaker maneuvers.
6.
- How in demand is a 16 MW installation?
Well, we already have not 16 MW, but 18 MW. More powerful. 16 MW is installed on the icebreakers "Moscow" and "St. Petersburg". The installation itself is in demand! We were at the right time and in the right place. There are usually two linear icebreakers operating in the White Sea: Dikson and Kapitan Dranitsyn. This year "Captain Dranitsyn" stayed for the winter in Chukotka, we are doing his work.
7. Engine room. 
-Is it difficult to work on an icebreaker?
Is it hard? Well, you see, if you like the work, it won’t be hard.
8. Navigation bridge. 
- Tell us about your work schedule. Judging by your work in the White Sea, you hardly sleep?
The fact that people are here all the time does not mean that they work around the clock. There is a schedule; while working on the icebreaker during navigation, people work four hours every eight hours. That is, they work for four hours and rest for eight.
9. Icebreakers of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Rosmorport" "Novorossiysk" and "Captain Chadayev" during the escort of the nuclear submarine "Orel". 
- Does the icebreaker have Russian equipment?
The icebreaker itself was built in Vyborg at the Vyborg Shipyard. The icebreaker has a lot of foreign equipment, but also a lot of Russian equipment. For example, there are many systems of the Russian company Transas, there is cartography, communications, and much more.
10. Control panel on the left wing of the navigation bridge. 
- How many people are in the crew?
Despite the size of the icebreaker, the entire crew consists of 29 people. Thanks to modern technologies and automation, there is no need for a large number of people.
11. Central control room - central control post of the machine and boiler room. 
- Can the crew leave the icebreaker in their free time?
If the icebreaker is at the berth, as it is now, then the crew members who are not on watch or at work have no obstacles to this.
12. Workshop and warehouse. 
- How does the crew rest?
Our icebreaker has everything necessary for the crew to relax. Each crew member has a separate cabin equipped with a bathroom. Also in each cabin there is an outlet for the Internet; we have a ship's network.
In addition, we have a sauna with a swimming pool, a gym with exercise equipment, billiards, and TVs in almost every cabin.
13. Cabin. 
- Which flight do you remember most?
Most of all I remember the voyage on the icebreaker "St. Petersburg". Several years ago he was sent to the port of Sabetta, and then I saw the Arctic for the first time.
14. Medical block. 
- Tell me, have you ever found yourself in critical situations and how did you get out of them?
Thank God, there were no such hopeless situations. We are trying to prevent such situations. If such a situation arises, it means that some kind of flaw was made. You need to try to plan everything in advance.
15. Hospital. 
- Were there any difficulties in the White Sea?
This year, according to the stories of those who previously worked here, the situation is much easier, because at the end of March the White Sea was almost cleared of ice.
Ice remained only in the throat of the White Sea. But there were difficulties. When we entered there, there was a difficult ice situation; there were large ice fields with hummocks. They created significant difficulties when escorting ships, despite the fact that the width of the ships being escorted was significantly smaller than the width of the icebreaker. Behind us there remained a channel about 26 meters wide, and the ships that we guided through were mostly 16-18 meters wide. Although it was easy for them to follow us, the presence of hummocks often made their progress more difficult. And this is in contrast to the situation in the Gulf of Finland, where the ice is thick, but there are not so many hummocks.
16. Cabin for passengers with disabilities. 
17. Cabin bathroom for passengers with disabilities. 
- I read that in the White Sea you not only conduct ships, but also undergo ice tests?
No, that's not true. We are planning ice tests in the Kara Sea in April. There at this time you can find ice of appropriate thickness and strength. To correctly conduct ice tests, we must work on one and a half meters of ice and continuously move on one meter.
Also, when we came to the White Sea, we spent three weeks testing the latest unmanned aerial vehicles built in Russia.
18. Multi-purpose unmanned helicopter Camcopter S-100 on the helipad of the icebreaker "Novorossiysk". 
- Did you have any difficulties getting into the city of Arkhangelsk?
The ice was not thick, so it was not difficult to enter. Before our passage, the Northern Dvina shipping canal was widened from 20 meters to 26 in such a way as not to damage the pedestrian crossings from the mainland to the islands that people use. We were required to be very careful when moving.
19. Crew mess. 
20. Galley. 
During the international Arctic forum "The Arctic - Territory of Dialogue" the icebreaker is here as one of the exhibits of the exhibition. They say it was used as a hotel. Is it so?
Yes, our icebreaker was an exhibit at the international forum “The Arctic - Territory of Dialogue”. As for the hotel, this is an exaggeration. Only representatives of Rosmorport lived here, numbering 10-12 people.
21. Wardroom. 
- Do you have any hobbies?
22. Swimming pool. 
23. Sauna. 
- How do you see the future of the Russian icebreaker fleet?
We are now at the future of the icebreaker fleet! It is worth noting that the Baltic Shipyard is building an even more powerful diesel-electric icebreaker, the Viktor Chernomyrdin.
24. Billiard room. 
- Are you proud of your work?
Yes. Not only am I proud, but I also like her, and they also pay me money for her.
25. Aft gangway shaft and lowering and hoisting device with a work boat. 
- How do you like to spend your vacation and how long does it last?
The vacation lasts 28 days. Also, during navigation, time off is accumulated, which can be taken and rested. I live in the suburbs of St. Petersburg, and my vacation means bringing my country house and plot into divine shape.
26. A cutout in the stern with a “crinoline” for towing ships closely.
Yaroslav Yaroslavovich, thank you for the interview and the tour of the icebreaker "Novorossiysk". Impressed with the conditions for the crew. This is not an icebreaker, but a real cruise ship for the northern seas. Good luck to you in this much needed endeavor!
The first diesel-electric ship in the icebreaker fleet appeared just before 1955. The name of the ship was "Captain Belousov". It was built at Finnish shipyards, like the icebreakers of the same type “Captain Voronin” and “Captain Melekhov”, which entered service in 1955 and 1956. respectively. The ships' hulls were made from special German steel, and 11 waterproof bulkheads ensured survivability in case of damage. The ice belt was made 30 mm thick.
Six engines with a power of 1625 hp each turned electric generators that supplied current to the propeller electric motors, which rotated 2 propellers in front and 2 behind the hull. The difference in the diameters of the stern and bow propellers was 70 centimeters (from 4.2 to 3.5 m). Each ship also had its own power plant with a capacity of 200 kW. In addition, there was an auxiliary (72 kW) and emergency (15 kW) power station powered by diesel engines. The length of the Soviet icebreaker was 77 and a half meters with a width of 19.4 m. The fuel was enough for a cruising range of 8,760 miles, the crew included 85 people, and the autonomy was almost a month. The total height of the side was 16.5 m with a seven-meter draft. All icebreakers of this type operated in Arkhangelsk, Murmansk and Baltic ports. The thickness of the broken ice was up to 0.8 meters. Since 1955, icebreakers have been sailing along the Northern Sea Route, but their forward propellers have hampered them in the Arctic.
Having made a trip in one direction - to the East, the ships spent the winter there, damaging the propellers. One of the icebreakers, “Captain Belousov,” navigated 3,200 ships through heavy Arctic ice, and in 1972 it was sent to the Sea of Azov. Near Norway, the ship was caught in a strong storm, and several portholes were knocked out by the waves. Having reached Leningrad, the icebreaker underwent a six-month repair, then went to Azov. “Captain Voronin” worked in the North longer than “Captain Belousov”, sailing 4240 ships. The icebreaker "Captain Melekhov" served until 1977, carrying 7,000 ships. Designed for service in the Baltic, the icebreakers performed no worse in the Arctic. Before the start of the war, the Soviet navy received a powerful icebreaker "Anastas" 106.7 m long, 23.2 m wide. It had three steam engines of 3,300 hp each. With. The icebreaker operated until 1968. The ship was built in Ukraine, in the city of Nikolaev.
Several icebreakers of the Joseph series were built. The captain of one of them was M.P. Belousov. V. I. Voronin also sailed on the same ship during the war. There was also an icebreaker of this series called “Vyacheslav Molotov”, built in 1940 by the icebreaker “Dezhnev” A. P. Melekhov was commanded by A. P. Melekhov. This brave captain took part in escorting northern convoys in 1942 and died. A German submarine torpedoed the transport, ending his life, and the sailor’s body was found off the coast of the United States and taken home for burial. This was done by the son of Mikhail Kalinin. The names of the heroes live in the names of the ships. Over time, ships are scrapped. But new icebreakers are being built, entering service and continuing the work of the past.
RP columnist Alexander Rokhlin woke up from a lethargic sleep on the fifth floor of the Rosatomflot head office in Murmansk - realizing that the country has the only nuclear icebreaker fleet in the world. The reader will walk along the decks of living and dead icebreakers. And maybe he will wake up too.
For the third day, Murmansk passed from hand to hand. And in the Arctic there was no power worse than a blizzard. The city plunged into snowy darkness, like a ship caught in a storm, and each time forever. The streets were blind, the snow was falling like a wall. But exactly a quarter of an hour later the carousel made a full revolution. The drama turned into vaudeville. The clouds were torn to shreds, the blinding sun flared up, defeated snow flowed from the roofs in streams, and wet Murmansk dogs wagged their tails with interest, looking into the windows of the coffee shops.
“Love is sudden, like a snowstorm... He stood at the quay wall. And my soul was eager to meet him, like a bird caught in a snare. Just a few days ago I didn’t know about its existence. And now we were faced with separation. There was no strength, no hope. He went to sea... without me.”
If I were a book girl and not a documentary journalist, I would present events only in a similar vein. And I wouldn’t be ashamed and bitter. And no one would judge me. Because at the berth of the 92nd base of Rosatomflot stood the nuclear icebreaker “Yamal” - the pride of the Fatherland with a capacity of 75 thousand horsepower - and was waiting to go to sea. He went on an Arctic expedition and was beautiful, like all the caravels of Columbus and Magellan. That is why the heart beat, the lips dried up and the envy of those who turned out to be more worthy was choking: they climbed on board and set sail to the forbidden islands in the icy seas.
If it weren’t for the storm in the Barents Sea, which delayed the ship’s departure, I might never have seen it. But he wouldn’t have received a blow to the heart either. And I wasn’t tormented by a stupid question...
The atmospheric front shook again, the snow cannons hit, and the charge covered the pier in the blink of an eye. The sun darkened, and the Yamal smiled with its painted shark mouth, with which it plowed the Northern Sea Route. He didn't care at all. Here, near the shore, he looked like a random guest who was shy, felt awkward, was afraid to move in the cramped space and did not know how to behave correctly. Its element - the icy desert - began thirty miles from here to the north, at the exit from the bay, where the warm Gulf Stream creeps into the Arctic. There the icebreaker always turned east - there was no other way for it - and went towards the sun and loneliness. And he didn't need anyone...
Late in the evening, three tugboats pulled the icebreaker into the middle of the bay.
The dark red silhouette, falling away from the wall, silently went into the night. There were no mourners on the pier, no one waved handkerchiefs after us. Only the spare blades of the ship's propellers, like the scales of huge iron fish, glowed under the mooring lights. They waited in the wings on the shore and silently escorted the icebreaker on its way. From the speakers it is unknown to whom, but the march “Farewell of the Slav” sounded solemnly, sadly and dashingly. "Yamal" turned on its engines, turned around and went north.
From the diary of the captain of the nuclear icebreaker "Arktika" Alexander Nikolaevich Barinov. Recorded during the last voyage of the nuclear-powered icebreaker, July 4 - August 19, 2008 (published for the first time).
“Distant 1974. A company of second-year cadets marches in formation along the Oblique Line of Vasilyevsky Island from the training building to the crew. It already feels like spring, but there is still a lot of snow. Behind the high fence of the Baltic Shipyard you can see the red superstructure of the Arktika nuclear icebreaker under construction.
1977 August 17. At the mouth of the Weser River off the coast of Germany, several ships under different flags are anchored and waiting their turn to enter the port of Bremen. Summer ends. Swimming practice too. The head of the radio set the ship's network to the Mayak radio station. The announcer's voice reports that the Soviet nuclear icebreaker "Arktika" for the first time in the history of mankind in active navigation reached the geographical point of the North Pole. In response to this news, the second mate, with some irony, suggested that after graduating from college, I would serve on this icebreaker... Not taking this prediction seriously, the cadet continued to dream of long ocean voyages somewhere to Ecuador or Australia.
In the 19th century, the Australian line was “held” by tea clippers - the fastest sailing ships. And the most beautiful. The one-way flight lasted 80-90 days. And at the end of the 20th century, dazzling white refrigerated banana trucks carried exotic fruits from Latin America to our country. These flights are a little shorter - two months. Most Soviet sailors held other voyages in high esteem - around or near Europe with frequent calls at European ports.
1978 Passed six state exams. In my “pocket” is the profession of navigator engineer. Life and... distribution lie ahead. 165 people were distributed. And there were only 2 places for nuclear icebreakers. Why two friends in the cockpit and in life decided to stake out these places for themselves, only God knows. The company commander looked at them questioningly, with bewilderment, but did not dissuade them. Mom, having learned about her son’s decision, burst into tears. Only the representative of the Murmansk Shipping Company was the only person who sincerely smiled.”
This means waking up from a lethargic sleep - suddenly finding out that your country has the only nuclear icebreaker fleet in the world. And what a one! Where was I all this time?.. I woke up on the fifth floor of the Rosatomflot head office. Okay - the bay, hills, seagulls and other seascapes, but here the orange icebreaker "Soviet Union" floats right out the window and towards you. With all its iron bulk, scientific thought and historical power. And then you immediately understand everything. You understand the difference between icebreakers and all other ships in the seas. It's about the idea. Trade - according to the mercantile part. They look like huge “string bags” filled with products in jars, boxes, etc.
The military is the lethal part. They are sharp, angry and detached, “without blood in their faces,” they carry death within themselves.
Cruises are for entertainment purposes. It's a complete mess there.
And only icebreakers have the elements in their blood. Mastering space through feat, comprehension, love. Only here is scientific thought combined with the eternal boyish desire to reach the horizon.
Looking at the icebreaker, you can easily experience an acute attack of self-lynching. “You haven’t accomplished anything in your life, but he went to the North Pole...”
Today in Russia there are four nuclear icebreakers in service (in 1987 there were eight). Two large ones - “Yamal”, “50 Years of Victory”, and two smaller ones - “Vaigach” and “Taimyr”. Yesterday one of them went on a hike before my eyes. For this reason, the chief engineer of Rosatomflot, Mustafa Mamedinovich Kashka, has the right to say that life is just beginning. The country recovered a little, began to breathe, and the need for shipping ships along the Northern Sea Route began to grow. The wiring has already increased 1.5 times compared to previous years.
“For fifty-five years, nuclear energy has been used to break ice,” says icebreaker Kashka proudly.
And he reports that the Baltic Shipyard has already begun to build two new, ultra-modern and universal icebreakers.
Of course, this is not that interesting yet. What will they build there, when, how will they live and where will they go in a few years? Questions about the future are meaningless. And the orange and black icebreaker is crawling through the window now. And he calls for you. Although the phenomenon-event that gave it its name - the Soviet Union - has long ceased to exist and does not live. It only casts a shadow on our today. A loud echo that ruptures your eardrums.
How to realize this? What happens to a ship that is capable of living in icy deserts for six months, without visiting ports, without needing warmth? When a person goes into the desert, he brings knowledge of God from there. What meanings are loaded on an icebreaker returning from the pole?
Behind the “Soviet Union”, two berths away, is “Russia”.
Like alive. And... dead.
From the diary of Captain Barinov. July 2008
“For some reason it was believed that working on icebreakers was for “losers.” Something like a link. I didn’t get a visa - to the icebreaker, I got a fine on a ship while traveling abroad - to the same place. This stereotype still exists in the minds of the part of humanity associated with the sea. Therefore, they looked closely at the newcomers and asked appropriate questions. I wasn’t, I wasn’t involved, I don’t have one - I had to answer. So what if the icebreaker only works in ice? So what if they don’t pay currency on it? And a lot of “so what?” arose in my head and was used on occasion. Until now, they serve as protection against foreign temptations.
What about the icebreaker? The nuclear icebreaker is the embodiment of the latest achievements of science and technology of its time. This is a unique construction of human hands. It doesn't work without pomp. Almost a thousand rooms, kilometers of cables, hundreds of mechanisms. Twenty-three thousand tons of “iron”! And here’s the paradox: these tons don’t sink! Two reactors are capable of generating the necessary energy for several years in a row. Safety? Confirmed by the visits of many foreign guests. But they are not impartial. Through one, certainly with your dosimeter. Reliability? Thirty-three years of trouble-free operation. The power plant is serviced by highly qualified specialists. People are mostly obsessed with business, a little romantic. The first days you have to wander around numerous decks, study the icebreaker from the drawings, meet people, get used to the routine and established customs. The icebreaker differed from all existing ones not only in its unusual size and power, but also in color. It was designed and built with a white superstructure. But the captain was able to convince those on whom it depended that the icebreaker should be red. The crew is a little over a hundred people. Navigation staff and deck crew with a diving party, radio service, consumer service, atomic-mechanical, electromechanical, instrumentation and automation, radiation safety service, medical staff. There is the possibility of basing a helicopter with flight personnel. The power of the main power plant is 75 thousand horsepower. There are ships and warships with more powerful installations. There are no icebreakers yet. 148 meters long, 30 wide. Draft - 11 meters. The height of the navigation bridge is 21 meters. The crew lives in separate cabins. There is a wardroom, a dining room, lounges, a library, a swimming pool, two baths, a gym, a medical unit with a dental unit and an operating room. The specifics of working on an icebreaker are long voyages and rare calls. And also work only in ice. In summer there are 24 hours a day, in winter there is no sun for months. Sub-zero temperatures down to 40 and below. The day of raising the National Flag is considered the ship’s birthday. For Arktika it is April 25, 1975. When built, the icebreaker was designed for 25 years of operation.”
The nuclear icebreaker Rossiya was withdrawn from the fleet almost a year ago. But I didn't know that. That is, he did not find out, did not clarify, did not check. One might say, he showed typical carelessness and climbed on board in blissful ignorance. Ignorance played a cruel joke on me. Because when captain Oleg Mikhailovich Shchapin realized that I didn’t know anything, he took me around the icebreaker and talked about “Russia” as if it were alive, that is, about a living, functioning ship, and not standing in a cold sludge...
“Soviet Union” floats through the window, and “Russia” stands against the wall. Sounds interesting?
The icebreaker Rossiya is the fourth nuclear-powered icebreaker built in the Soviet Union. It was launched in 1983. He provided exploration of the Russian continental shelf at the North Pole and was the first to make a cruise voyage to the Pole with foreign tourists.
The interior decoration is absolutely fabulous. There is not a single foreign-made part here. Everything - from the reactor and power plants to the curlicues on the chandeliers and cup holders in the wardroom - is made in the USSR. And everything is not in museum condition, but in working condition.
The captain and chief engineer guide us around the ship. Impossible luxury. I shake hands with people who have been to the North Pole. Here you have the captain's bridge, the size of the stage of the Great Hall of the Conservatory, and navigation cards, and the wardroom, and lamps in nuclear-industrial design, and power plants, and reactors behind thick glass, and hundreds of other mechanisms, blocks, units, sections, bulkheads... Even a zoo corner with birdhouses.
And behind all this there is a feeling of trouble.
I would understand later and suddenly that “Russia” had set sail and was leaving. Only they didn’t tell me about it, they hid it, as if they pitied the fool. And her future is sad. At 15, go under the knife. It still stands at the quay wall, in all the splendor of grandeur and beauty, but with empty reactors, switched off propulsion systems and silent control systems. Life froze in her... And then it seems that she froze in the same way throughout the entire country of Russia. You hear your native name, see a picture and feel that everyone has stood up in the image and likeness of an icebreaker, frozen, quiet in anticipation of trouble.
Life beats only in the hearts of the captain, chief engineer and the few remaining crew members. These atomic hearts cannot believe in the imminent oblivion of their ship. That’s why they talk about driving, energy, power and other qualities in the present tense, as if tomorrow they are going on a hike, and not to scrap...
“You know,” says the chief mechanic, “we could go completely autonomous.” — The mechanic’s eyes are burning. — Nuclear fuel and provisions would be enough for five or six years. Do not enter any port, wander the Arctic Ocean from end to end. One problem - you'll go crazy...
I understood: he wanted to escape with “Russia” and thereby save it.
Our favorite state is to reach the edge of hope.
From the diary of Captain Barinov
“Fate decreed that on the last voyage we should give the icebreaker a rest and not place a heavy icebreaker burden on its senile shoulders. He did it and didn't let me down. He made it to the appointed time and showed that there was still gunpowder in the flasks. With that, a huge thank you from the people who live, work on it and consider it their second home. A successful icebreaker, especially its “atomic heart”. Covered the temporary service life by a third. The envy of the subsequent brothers who do not get out of repairs, and some are already stuck forever. Although age takes its toll. Somewhere it is leaking, somewhere it is rusty, something constantly has to be repaired. They haven't really spoiled it with good factory repairs in recent years. The margin of safety that was built in during design and construction became evident. And the crew took off. I tried. Many people have spent their whole life here, and they don’t see it without an icebreaker. Without your favorite icebreaker. “Arctic” is perhaps the most beautiful and accurate name for a vessel designed to operate in the Arctic. Proud and kind. But it was changed (in 1982 it was renamed “Leonid Brezhnev.” - Author’s note). When the icebreaker was returned to its original name, it was the end of September. There was no need to force the deck crew; the outboard gazebos were immediately hung. They managed to paint over the outdated name, but the frost did not allow the new one on one side to be completely removed. It was in the Laptev Sea, summer was already over. So we arrived at the port. On the starboard side there were only two letters: “AR”. Someone joked: “The new icebreaker AR has arrived.” But everyone was happy.
Never rename ships! They’re not asking.”
The legendary "Arktika" stands on the last, 10th berth of the Rosatomflot base. She looks north, to the Arctic. She doesn't let people get close to her. It is impossible for the uninitiated to get on board. Empty porthole sockets, peeling paint, rusty railings, well-worn stairs, blind lanterns, sounds fading in the corridors, the cries of seagulls from inside the cabins, the splash of water, amplified by the echo of empty holds.
If “Yamal” is alive, if “Soviet Union” is a shadow, if “Russia” is frozen, then “Arctic” is a space station, a ghost frigate, the soul of a person, freed from all attachments and directed upward and inward, to the last limits , beyond Severnaya Zemlya and the Lomonosov Ridge.
All flights have been cancelled. But the day after the snowstorm, when the sun shone over the Kola Bay, we flew together. Because I understood: after all the exploits and achievements, the fate of the “Arctic” is to return and remain: cold, unapproachable, desired to the point of extravagance, and therefore – ours from the beginning. The last hope.
According to the latest official data, the nuclear-powered icebreaker "Arktika" will not be destroyed, as ordered by "Sibir" and "Russia". He will be relocated to the city of St. Petersburg. And there the icebreaker will become a scientific and educational center and a branch of the Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic.
From the diary of Captain Barinov
“Is it possible to love hardware? Of course you can. When your soul has become attached, when you know and feel him from keel to bone, when his dent is your pain, when the best years are given to him, when good luck and punctures in half, when you owe him what you have become, when “it” comes to you with the same .
"Iron" is a ship. But only someone “on the board” can address him like that. Because they are one. Sometimes this happens in life. That’s what makes her so wonderful.”
Dreams of Captain Barinov
“Every person sometimes has strange dreams. Everyone has their own. But there are common dreams, characteristic either for all of humanity or for a certain group of people. For example, flying in a dream. Icebreaker navigators also have such a dream. The icebreaker sails through the streets of the city, towering above the houses. The streets are narrow, it is impossible to turn. And we should stop. And it would be necessary not to hit the house and not damage the icebreaker. But the icebreaker floats and floats until the dream is interrupted..."
There is no need for him to interrupt. Because both in sleep and in reality the atomic heart should not stop.
P.S.
Another dream about icebreakers...
From observations of polar explorers
“...The icebreaker is forcing its way through, the speed of its advance is, of course, low, but the progress itself is unusually beautiful. As is known, an icebreaker destroys strong ice not by hitting the stem, but by pushing it with its mass: the stronger the ice, the larger part of the icebreaker must crawl onto it to cause destruction. In this case, the location of ice breaks shifts from the bow to the middle of the ship. When very strong ice breaks, the breaking points move so far from the stem that they are not even visible from the forward windows of the pilothouse. This creates a fantastic impression as if the entire huge nuclear-powered icebreaker is gliding across the ice like a snowmobile. This quiet, smooth progress, when no crack, no breaking ice, no fountain of ice spray is visible in front of the ship’s bow, makes the sliding effect so real that it seems that there should be no ordinary channel behind the stern of the icebreaker. But a look back, behind the stern, where the wide road of clear water is still dark, convinces that the icebreaker is not sliding, but crushing these ice shell fields. And near the middle part of the icebreaker, hundred-ton blocks of crushed ice stand up..."
Magazine "Russian Pioneer".
In 1934, the Swedes built the Ymer, the world's first icebreaker with a diesel-electric power plant, and soon Soviet shipbuilders prepared a design for a vessel with a similar engine, which was to become the most powerful in the world. However, for a number of reasons, it was not possible to complete it, and diesel-electric icebreakers appeared in our fleet only on December 26, 1954, when the flag of “Captain Belousov” was raised, the first in a series of three ships of the same type.
In 1952, in Finland, at the slipway of the shipyard of the Värtsilä company (Helsinki), the icebreaker Voima was launched and put into operation the following year. It differed from its predecessors not only in its modern lines, but also in a number of design features. Thus, the formations of its bow were pointed, the side was littered, and the elongated forecastle extended to the end of the superstructure rounded at the front. The stem was inclined at 23 - 25 degrees, the stern was valanced. The diesel-electric power plant operated two pairs of bow and stern propellers. The vessel was equipped with a
90 s, and the same number of trim ones (150 m 3), which were served by pumps with a capacity of 1 thousand m 3 of water per hour each.
As on the Voyma, in the bow, in front of the superstructure, a hold with a volume of 134 m 3 was installed, and at the stern - another (82 m 3), next to which two 10-ton cargo booms were installed. In addition, a towing winch with a traction force of up to 60 tf and a 200-meter cable was installed at the stern.
The team was accommodated in comfortable 1-, 2-, and 4-berth cabins. The water heating system maintained the temperature in them at 17 degrees, even if it was 30 degrees below zero outside. Each icebreaker received 4 lifeboats that could accommodate 60 people.
"Captains" performed well in servicing the ports of Arkhangelsk, Leningrad and Riga; they confidently maneuvered on fairways and in cramped water areas, easily overcame slush, windy fields with a thickness of 600 -
high-performance pumps and automatic towing winch. Finnish shipbuilders designed Voima for work in the ports and bays of the Baltic Sea.
But at the same time, Vyartsilya was also dealing with a Soviet order - for three similar vessels intended to service shipping in the Gulf of Finland and the White Sea. Their design has been slightly changed. The lead one, "Captain Belousov", was launched on December 15, 1953, a year later it raised the State Flag of the USSR, and in 1955 and 1956. it was followed by "Captain Voronin" and "Captain Melekhov", also named after famous polar sailors.
Their all-welded hulls, made of especially strong Siemensmarten steel, were divided into 11 compartments by ten waterproof bulkheads, and it was calculated that the ship would stay afloat if any two were flooded. Longitudinal bulkheads were installed along the sides, forming 8 tanks. The thickness of the plating at the ends reached 20 - 25 mm (in the central part of the hull - 15 - 17 mm), the ice belt - 30 mm. In the stern there was an oak-trimmed cutout for towing transport vehicles “by the whiskers.”
The power plant consisted of 6 diesel engines with a power of 1625 hp each, powered by the same number of generators, which supplied voltage to 4 propulsion electric motors. The power of the power plant could be redistributed, giving, say, a third to the bow propellers and two thirds to the stern ones, or vice versa, depending on the conditions in which the ship was. The steel four-bladed bow propellers had a diameter of 3.5 m, and the same stern propellers had a diameter of 4.2 m.
In addition, each icebreaker of the Kapitan Belousov type had a main power plant equipped with four diesel generators with a total power of 200 kW, as well as an auxiliary one of 72 kW and an emergency one of 15 kW.
Like most icebreakers and,
In 1955, "Captain Belousov" was transferred to the Murmansk Shipping Company, and soon the rest joined it. vessels of this series and began to ensure navigation along the Northern Sea Route. After some time, they revealed some shortcomings. For example, they turned out to be quite complex in design and maintenance, so their operation was more expensive than the old “steam engines”. What Admiral S.O. was convinced of back in 1899 was also confirmed. Makarov during the first voyage of the Ermak to the Arctic: the bow propellers were not suitable for sailing in heavy, multi-year polar ice. And indeed, “Captain Belousov” and “Captain Voronin” damaged them while escorting ships and were forced to stay for the winter. Spare parts, tools and equipment for repairs had to be sent from Murmansk by plane, and the sailors had to work in the polar night, and even in 40-degree frost...
During 17 navigations, "Captain Belousov" covered 375 thousand miles, guided 3,200 ships through the ice, after which it was transferred to the Azov Shipping Company. On December 12, 1972, the icebreaker left Murmansk and set off on a long voyage around the European continent. During the transition, the captain received an order by radio to provide assistance to the icebreakers in the Leningrad port. In the Norwegian Sea, the ship was caught in a severe storm, several portholes were knocked out by waves, and it made no more than 3 miles per day. Only on January 6, 1973, "Captain Belousov" moored in Leningrad, repaired the damage and two weeks later continued its voyage to the south, which ended successfully - on February 5 it entered the Kerch Strait.
In 1981, the crew of "Captain Voronin" summed up their 25-year service in the Arctic. It was impressive - 360 thousand miles traveled mainly in ice, 4240 transports carried along the Northern Sea Route. "Captain Melekhov" was registered with the USSR Ministry of the Navy until 1977, then it was based in Arkhangelsk, guiding ships through the White Sea. In total, he paved the way for 7,000 transports, leaving behind over 350 thousand.
yourself in the best possible way. Finnish engineers, having analyzed the results of its operation, slightly changed the design, and already in 1958 they completed the construction of the Karhu at the Vyartsilya, and then the same type Murtaya and Sampo. They were smaller than the prototype (displacement 3200 tons), four main diesel generators were placed in one engine room, the total power of the power plant was 7500 hp. A normal supply of fuel allowed each ship to be at sea
Now shipowners from other European countries are also interested in Finnish-built icebreakers. In 1961, the Vyartsilya company began building four vessels of the same type, and if Tarmo and Varma were being prepared for their customers, then Thor and Njord were being prepared for Swedish ones. "Tarmo" was larger than "Voima" (displacement reached 5230 tons), it was distinguished by a more developed superstructure, which was topped by a pilothouse with a convenient all-round view for navigators. Di-|just power
Germany, having ordered the Värtsilä icebreaker Hansa with a displacement of 3,700 tons, intended for operation in the western part of the Baltic Sea. This time the Finns took
And finally, in 1967, the Finns built the Oden for the Swedish Navy, which differed from the Voima in size (displacement 5000 tons) and a diesel-electric power plant of 10.5 thousand liters. In addition, the Oden was planned to be multi-purpose - both an icebreaker itself and a supply vessel for warships, so the service premises, cabins and cockpits were redesigned on it and the design of the inclination tanks was changed.
So, Finnish specialists have created a very successful “American type” icebreaker (with bow and stern propellers). And although it was designed to work in the Baltic, where the ice conditions are much easier than in the Arctic, the “captains” ordered by the Soviet Union worked quite successfully on the routes of the Northern Sea Route.
"Voima" became the prototype for other diesel-electric ships built by the Finns under foreign orders. And most importantly, the results of the operation of Voyma and its descendants were successfully used to create more powerful icebreakers. We are talking about five vessels of the "Moscow" type, manufactured at Vyartsilya in 1958 - 1969, whose displacement reached 15.3 thousand tons, the power plant consisted of eight pairs of diesel engines and generators powered by three propulsion electric motors. In 1971, the larger Ermak entered service (displacement 20.2 thousand tons, power plant power 41.4 thousand tons), followed by two more vessels of the same type. However, they were already made specifically for work in the Arctic - without bow propellers. ■ Igor BOECHIN
TECHNOLOGY-YOUTH 9 5 9 5
According to scientists, approximately a fifth of the entire surface of our planet is covered with ice. And its amount is almost 35 times higher than the volume of water in all lakes and rivers. To move through the endless frozen spaces, special vessels are needed - icebreakers. They are a powerful component of the Russian fleet. The history of these ships goes back decades. And there are no more nuclear ships in any country in the world! The world's first icebreaker with a nuclear power plant was launched almost sixty years ago in the USSR. Today, the Russian fleet is armed with 7 nuclear-powered ships.
Icebreakers of the Kapitan Sorokin type are powerful and maneuverable. What tasks do such vessels perform, what is their history, design features and expected prospects for the development of the Arctic fleet? Let's find out from the article.
History of icebreakers in Russia
The first ships to navigate ice were built almost two hundred years ago in North America. They were steam powered and had many disadvantages that reduced their effectiveness. In the last century they were significantly modernized.
High-power steam ships - one of the first was the Soviet icebreaker "Sibir" - could stay on the open sea for up to three weeks, and new diesel-electric ships - twice as long, up to forty days.
Considering the importance of navigation along the Northern Route for the USSR, it was necessary to equip the fleet with the latest technology. And in 1959, the world's first nuclear-powered icebreaker, called Lenin, was launched. Its appearance greatly facilitated navigation along the Northern Route.
Today the Russian fleet includes two types of icebreakers: diesel electric ships and nuclear powered ships
Where are icebreakers used? Vessel design
Icebreakers made a major contribution to the study. They are used mainly to ensure the free movement of ships following them. In addition, they are used to escort and evacuate research expeditions, as well as to deliver various cargo to hard-to-reach areas of the Arctic and Antarctic.
To successfully carry out these difficult tasks, a special ship is needed. The icebreaker has a unique design that allows it to pave the way where it is unattainable for other ships. First of all, this concerns the special shape of the nose and barrel-shaped body. Thanks to this, the ship can break through ice with its weight while moving.
The unusual shape of the stern (M-shaped) allows you to tow other vessels. The diesel-electric or nuclear power plant used makes the ship powerful and maneuverable. It also allows for greater autonomy of the vessel, since refueling among the endless expanses of ice turns out to be almost impossible.
Icebreaker "Captain Sorokin"
Soviet winter navigation achieved great success in 1977-1978. It was then that the famous icebreaker “Captain Sorokin” was launched. It, like other ships of this type, was created at the Finnish shipyard Vyartsilya. They were built for the USSR, Finland and Argentina. Then “Captain Sorokin” brought the transport vessels “Pavel Ponomarev” and “Navarin” to the port of Dudinka as an experiment. Thus, the possibility of year-round Arctic navigation was demonstrated for the first time. This was a tremendous achievement, which was achieved for the first time by the icebreakers of the USSR.
Six years ago, “Captain Sorokin” was tasked with welcoming the round-the-world sailing regatta Volvo Ocean Race, which then finished in St. Petersburg, in the Gulf of Finland. On board the ship, among others, were journalists and cameramen.
Now "Captain Sorokin" is also in operation.
Other icebreakers of this type
As mentioned earlier, the icebreaker “Captain Sorokin” is not the only vessel of this type that is part of the Russian fleet. There are four such ships in total. They were launched one after another in 1977-1981. Named after four legendary polar captains - Sorokin, Nikolaev, Dranitsyn and Khlebnikov - they remain a reliable stronghold of the icebreaker fleet.
Vessels of this type are double-deck diesel electric ships. The icebreaking bow, transom stern and equipment allow for maximum efficiency of Arctic navigation.
Mentions in art
Interestingly, the icebreaker “Captain Sorokin” became famous not only for its Arctic voyages. In 1979, it was here that the documentary film by Yuri Vizbor was filmed. The film was called “Murmansk-198” and was dedicated to the difficult work of sailors working on icebreakers.
Also about “Captain Sorokin” was mentioned in the song by Yu. Vizbor called “Polar Owl”.
Icebreakers in Russia today
The modern Russian fleet includes nuclear-powered icebreakers and diesel electric ships. According to the latest information, there are a total of 44 vessels in operation. Five of them are nuclear. In 2007, a ship called “50 Years of Victory” was completed and put into operation. It is noteworthy that this one is distinguished by a different bow shape, compared to other vessels, which allows it to break through ice more effectively. It serves mainly to accompany caravans in the cold Arctic seas. But the icebreaker is also used for passenger cruises. The ship's passengers have at their disposal a swimming pool, a sauna, a restaurant, and a library.
It is especially worth noting the powerful Soviet nuclear-powered icebreaker "Arktika" (later renamed "Leonid Brezhnev"). His undoubted significance lies in the fact that he was the first to reach the North Pole.
Current nuclear-powered ships make it possible to transport about five million tons of cargo annually.
Thus, a modern Russian icebreaker is a combination of power and maneuverability, speed and reliability. Making its way through the frozen, it embodies the strength of the Russian fleet.
Icebreaker Festival
A grandiose festival was dedicated to the seventieth anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, in which the country's most powerful icebreakers took part. It became the only one of its kind and was held in the waters of the Bolshaya Neva. All guests of this maritime festival could freely visit the presented ships.
Among them was the icebreaker “Captain Sorokin” and the famous “Ivan Kruzenshtern”, tirelessly clearing the water spaces between the Northern capital and You could also admire the colossal “St. Petersburg” and “Moscow”. The strong hull and dimensions of these ships enable them to easily pass through ice up to one meter thick, as well as accompany large ships and search for sunken objects at significant depths.
Festival visitors were able to see with their own eyes the most powerful icebreakers of the Russian fleet. And at the very end of the holiday one could watch an amazing, breathtaking spectacle - a parade of ships accompanied by a live orchestra - the “sea waltz”.
Icebreakers of the future
Speaking about modern icebreakers, one cannot help but look into the future of these ships. Today, the development and construction of new ships is becoming an urgent need. At last count, the Russian fleet needs six more modern nuclear-powered ships. What will the icebreaker of the future be like?
In the next seven years, it is planned to build three powerful nuclear-powered ships of the next, already third generation. Icebreaker projects of this type promise to achieve significantly greater speed, strength and autonomy. Currently, work is in full swing on the new third-generation Arktika vessel. According to calculations, the icebreaker will be able to sail openly for up to seven years.
It is expected that such a ship will be the largest on the planet, unparalleled and unique in many respects. The creation of this vessel will open a new page in the history of the icebreaker fleet. It can be assumed that a breakthrough in shipbuilding will allow us to study the Arctic in more detail and find places that have not previously been mapped.
