Chronicle of polar expedition

Arktika-2009 polar expedition of the Institute of the Arctic and Antarctic regions has set off from Murmansk on Yamal nuclear icebreaker

Arktika-2009 polar expedition of the Institute of the Arctic and Antarctic regions set off from Murmansk on Yamal nuclear icebreaker on Aug 21 2009. The expedition is supposed to replace the crew of North Pole-36 drift station and to organize the work of North Pole-37 station.

The nuclear icebreakers of Atomflot FSUE of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation conduct such expeditions almost every year depending on the state of the drift ices polar stations are stationed on. The ice of North Pole-36 is no longer safe. North Pole-37 will be deployed in a safer place. After disembarking the crew on the ice Yamal will go back to Murmansk.

The duration of the expedition will depend on the state of the ice. The area Yamal is heading for now is considered as hard to access. The ice North Pole-36 is stationed on is presently drifting 140 miles from the north coast of Greenland. After picking the crew the icebreaker will go to the area between Greenland and Spitsbergen, the traditional place of disembarkation of Russian polar explorers.

The Institute of the Arctic and Antarctic regions and Atomflot have cooperated for many years already. The nuclear icebreaking fleet ensures access to the Far North and the Arctic shelf, regular conduct of Arctic expeditions and stable navigation along the Northern Sea Route. All these functions are crucial components of Russia’s status of a great polar power.

For detailed information about the Arktika-2009 expedition see the Nuclear Icebreaking Fleet section of www.rosatom.ru.

Note

Russia has the most powerful icebreaking fleet in the world and unique experience of engineering, construction and operation of nuclear icebreakers. For the moment, Russia has 6 nuclear icebreakers, 1 container ship and 4 technological service ships. The vessels are operated by Atomflot FSUE, part of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation. The fleet was given to Rosatom in Aug 2008. In Dec 2009 it will mark its 50th birthday.

Yamal is an Arktika class icebreaker launched in 1992. Its tonnage is 23,000 tons, capacity – 75,000 h.p., length – 150 meters, width – 30 meters. The ship has two OK-900 reactors. The maximum speed is 21 knots.
 
The crew consists of 150 people, the passenger capacity is 100 people. The ship has a helicopter, several Zodiac class boats, passenger cabins, satellite systems, telecommunications, fax, internet, a library, a volleyball ground, a gym, a swimming pool, a sauna.

Yamal has made 39 voyages. It is the 12th ship to have reached the North Pole ever.