Taymyr (nuclear icebreaker)
Encyclopedia
Taymyr is a shallow-draft nuclear powered icebreaker
, and the first of two similar vessels. She was built in 1989 for the Soviet Union
in Finland
, at the Helsinki New Shipyard by Wärtsilä
, by order of the Murmansk
Shipping Co.
The Taymyr was delivered to Russia
for the installation of the reactor system. It has a nuclear-turbo-electric reactor giving up to 50,000 hp. This shallow-draft icebreaker is used mainly for clearing rivers, including their mouths and estuaries of ice and opening channels in order to make winter navigation possible.
This icebreaker and its sister ship Vaygach
belong to a type known as Taymyr-class River Icebreakers.
In the spring of 2011 a minor radiation leak was detected in the ships reactor ventilation system - the second such leak on board the vessel in as many years. The Taymyr returned to Murmansk
under diesel power for repair. By then 6,000 litres of coolant had leaked from its nuclear reactor.
Nuclear powered icebreaker
A nuclear powered icebreaker is a purpose-built ship for use in waters continuously covered with ice. Icebreakers are ships capable of cruising on ice-covered water by breaking through the ice with their strong, heavy, steel bows...
, and the first of two similar vessels. She was built in 1989 for the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, at the Helsinki New Shipyard by Wärtsilä
Wärtsilä
Wärtsilä is a Finnish corporation which manufactures and services power sources and other equipment in the marine and energy markets. The core products of Wärtsilä include large combustion engines...
, by order of the Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
Shipping Co.
The Taymyr was delivered to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
for the installation of the reactor system. It has a nuclear-turbo-electric reactor giving up to 50,000 hp. This shallow-draft icebreaker is used mainly for clearing rivers, including their mouths and estuaries of ice and opening channels in order to make winter navigation possible.
This icebreaker and its sister ship Vaygach
Vaygach (nuclear icebreaker)
Vaygach is a shallow-draft nuclear powered icebreaker. She was built in 1989 for the Soviet Union in Finland, at the Helsinki New Shipyard by Wärtsilä, by order of the Murmansk Shipping Co....
belong to a type known as Taymyr-class River Icebreakers.
In the spring of 2011 a minor radiation leak was detected in the ships reactor ventilation system - the second such leak on board the vessel in as many years. The Taymyr returned to Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
under diesel power for repair. By then 6,000 litres of coolant had leaked from its nuclear reactor.
External links
- Soviet Arctic Marine Transportation(1988).
- Photo of Taymyr at sea.
- sailwx.info track of reported positions of Taymyr.