50 Let Pobedy icebreaker

50 Let Pobedy icebreaker current position

50 Let Pobedy icebreaker current location is at North Russia (coordinates 72.75654 N / 73.33226 E) cruising en route to ARCTIC. The AIS position was reported 21 minutes ago.

Current Position

Specifications of 50 Let Pobedy icebreaker

Year of build2007  /  Age: 17
Flag state Russia
BuilderBaltiysky Zavod/Baltic Shipyard (St Petersburg, Russia)
ClassRussian nuclear icebreaker (Arktika-class, Project 10520)
Ferry route / homeportsMurmansk
Engines (power)OK-900A nuclear reactors (342 MW / 458630 hp)
Propulsion power52.8 MW / 70806 hp
Speed21 kn / 39 km/h / 24 mph
Length (LOA)151 m / 495 ft
Beam (width)30 m / 98 ft
Gross Tonnage23440 gt
Passengers64 - 128
Crew140
Decks8
Cabins64
Decks with cabins4
Sister-shipsArktika (1975), Sibir (1977), Rossiya (1985), Sovetskiy Soyuz (1990), Yamal (1992)
OwnerRussian Federation (via FSUE Atomflot)
OperatorRosatom (Rosmorport), Quark Expeditions, Noble Caledonia, Poseidon Expeditions

50 Let Pobedy icebreaker Review

Review of 50 Let Pobedy icebreaker

The 2007-built NS 50 Let Pobedy ("ледокол 50 Лет Победы", translated as "50 Years of Victory") is a nuclear-powered icebreaker owned by the Russian Federation. It was the largest nuclear-powered icebreaking vessel in the world - until surpassed by NS Arktika (2020-built/LK-60Ya-class). "NS" stands for "nuclear ship".

The vessel (IMO number 9152959) is Russia-flagged (MMSI 273316240) and registered in Murmansk.

The sistership Sovetskiy Soyuz (1990) was decommissioned in 2014.

The list of other Russian icebreaking cruise ships also includes Akademik Ioffe, Akademik Sergey Vavilov, Kapitan Dranitsyn, Kapitan Khlebnikov.

Besides 50 Let Pobedy, the list of other Russian nuclear icebreaker ships includes Taymyr (1989), Vaygach (1990), Yamal (1992), Arktika (2020), Sibir (2021), Ural (2022), Yakutia (2024), Chukotka (2026), Rossiya (2027/Project Leader), Stalingrad (2028), Leningrad (2030), Sevmorput (1988/Cargo ship).

50 Let Pobedy icebreaker cruise ship (50 Years of Victory)

October 4, 1989, was the launch date of project no.10521 at Baltic Works, Leningrad, USSR (now Sankt-Petersburg). Originally the vessel was named NS Ural. In 1994 work was halted due to lack of funds, so the actual 50th anniversary of Victory Day (1995), found the icebreaker in an abandoned state. However, in 2003 construction was restarted.

On November 30, 2004, a fire broke out aboard the ship and all workers had to be evacuated. The fire crews had to battle the fire for about 20 hours before they got it under control and one worker had to be sent to the hospital.

At the beginning of 2007, 50 Let Pobedy icebreaker was finally completed after the 60th Anniversary. On February 1, 2007, the vessel sailed into the Gulf of Finland for 2 weeks of sea trials. Upon completing sea trials, 50 Let Pobedy returned to Saint Petersburg Baltic shipyard and began preparations for her maiden cruise to Murmansk. The newbuild showed superior icebreaker characteristics, such as top speed of 21.4 knots (40 km/h; 25 mph) and exceptional maneuverability. On April 11, 2007, 50 Let Pobedy arrived at her homeport Murmansk.

The icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy is an upgrade of Arktika-class. The 524-feet long and 98-feet wide vessel, featuring a displacement of 25840 metric tons, was designed to break through ice up to 5 m (16.4 ft) thick.

50 Let Pobedy icebreaker (50 Years of Victory)

50th Anniversary of Victory is an experimental project as for the first time in Russian icebreakers' history it featured a spoon-shaped bow. The ship's designers predicted that such a shape increased the efficiency of the vessel's efforts in breaking the ice. 50 Let Pobedy icebreaker is equipped with a new digital automated control system. Her biological shielding complex was modernized and re-certified by State Commission. A brand new ecological compartment was also created.

50 Let Pobedy icebreaker (50 Years of Victory)

The ship boasts an exercise/athletic facility, restaurant, library, swimming pool, massage facility, and music salon at the disposal of the crew.

Itineraries

Since 1989, Russian nuclear-powered icebreakers have been used for cruise tourist purposes, carrying wealthy travelers to the North Pole. The participant pays as fares up to USD 35,000 per person for a cruise lasting 3 weeks. The 50 Years of Victory ship has a dedicated for passenger accommodations deck specifically customized for tourists.

In 2008, Quark Expeditions chartered the vessel for expeditions to the North Pole. The maiden voyage of the 50 Let Pobedy icebreaker to the North Pole embarked on June 24, 2008, in Murmansk. The ship carried 128 passengers in 64 cabins in 5 categories. In 2008 the vessel completed a total of 3 expeditions to the North Pole for the polar adventure company.

Besides Quark Expeditions, the boat is also regularly chartered by the travel companies Noble Caledonia (UK) and Poseidon Expeditions (Russia). Since 2001, Poseidon Expeditions specializes in polar cruises to European Arctic destinations, such as the North Pole and the Russian Arctic territories. The company charters exclusively Russian icebreakers, but also ice-strengthened cruise ships.

  • A group of eclipse chasers used the icebreaker to observe the August 1, 2008 eclipse. On July 21, 2008, they departed out of Murmansk and reached the North Pole 4 days later, which set a speed record for the ship.
  • As of February 2013, the company was listing 50 Years of Victory in its fleet and offering it for North Pole cruises along with Russian company Poseidon Expeditions. The icebreaker reached the North Pole on July 30, 2013, for the 100th time in icebreaker navigation history.
  • In October 2013, in the runup to "2014 Winter Olympics" (February 7-23, held in Sochi Russia), the nuclear ship carried the Olympic Flame all the way to the North Pole.

Following the Coronavirus crisis, in 2021 the ship was chartered by Poseidon Expeditions for two North Pole voyages. Departing July 10-22, and July 21-August 2, both polar cruises were open for booking by Russian residents only. The 13-day "Top of the World" itinerary included scenic coastal navigation and exploration of Franz Josef Land Archipelago (192 islands with abundant wildlife and stunning scenery). For the voyages, Poseidon hired 14x expedition staff, including polar experts, historians, marine biologists, geologists, glaciologists.

In July 2021, Poseidon Expeditions scheduled three icebreaker cruises in 2022 (departures July 10-22, July 21-August 1, August 1-13). Prices start at USD 30395 (EUR 25620/GBP 21985) per person - with double occupancy and Early Booking discount (for bookings made by October 31, 2021). Poseidon's fares are inclusive of a pre-cruise hotel (in Murmansk Russia), all transfers, helicopter rides, land tours/excursions, onboard entertainment and lectures, parkas.

 

NS 50 Let Pobedy vessel details

NS 50 Let Pobedy belongs to the Arktika-class nuclear ships - until 2017 the world's largest and most powerful ever constructed. The ship is one of all 6 vessels in this class, together with Sibir (1977-1992), Arktika (1975-2008), Rossiya (1985-2013), Sovetskiy Soyuz (1990) and Yamal (1992).

old Arktika-class Russian icebreaker ship design (Project 10520)

The vessel has 1 dining room, Sauna, Library, Auditorium, Passenger Lounge, Volleyball Court, Gymnasium, 1 swimming pool (indoor, heated), Infirmary, 1 elevator, 1 helipad (helicopter deck) with a Mi-2 transport helicopter.

  • DWT Deadweight tonnage: 3505 tons
  • Displacement tonnage: 25840 tons
  • Max Draft: 11 m (35 ft)
  • Icebreaking capacity: 5 m (16 ft)
  • Ice-class LL1
  • Range: unlimited (4 years endurance)
  • Powerplant: 2x OK-900A nuclear reactors (each 171 MW, or combined 342 MW power output)
  • Propulsion: turbo-electric, 3 shafts, 3 electric motors (17,6 MW output each, or 52,8 MW combined power output).

Note: In the case of poor AIS coverage, tracking the vessel's current location will be impossible. You can see CruiseMapper's list of all icebreakers and ice-breaking research ships in the "itinerary" section of our Icebreakers hub. All states and their fleets are listed there.

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50 Let Pobedy icebreaker Wiki

One of the Russian icebreaker cruise ships, 50 Let Pobedy (50 Years of Victory) is the world's largest nuclear-powered icebreaker ever built. The vessel's name celebrates the 50th anniversary of the USSR's victory in the WWII. Construction of the nuclear ship started on October 4, 1989. The original name of the vessel was "NS Ural". Soon after the "perestroika", in 1994 construction works were halted due to lack of funds. The celebration day of Russia's 50th anniversary of Victory in 1995 found the vessel in an abandoned state. The building was restarted in 2003 and finally completed in 2007.

Since 1989 nuclear-powered icebreakers have been used for cruising (tourist) purposes, carrying passengers to the North Pole in Russia's Arctic territories. The cruise price can soar up to USD 25,000 for a voyage lasting three weeks (over USD 1000 per person per day). The 50 Years of Victory ship has a cabin deck for tourists. Quark Expeditions chartered this unique ship for the first time in 2008. As of February 2013, the company was listing the ship in its fleet and offering cruises to the North Pole. The other line operating the vessel is the company "Poseidon Expeditions". On July 30, 2013, on one of the Poseidon Expeditions organized voyages, the ship reached the North Pole for the 100th time in the Arctic Ocean's icebreaker travel history. In October 2013, 50 Years of Victory carried the Olympic Fire to the North Pole.

50 Years of Victory's cruise itinerary program offers polar expedition voyages in the Russian Arctic territories, leaving out of Helsinki, Finland. Russia's nuclear fleet of ice-breaking vessels is used exclusively in the Arctic Ocean for escorting merchant ships and assisting research stations floating in the ice-covered waters north of Siberia. These ships are also used for scientific and Arctic cruise expeditions. The Russian nuclear ice-breakers must sail in ice-cold waters to effectively cool their reactors.

On August 13, 2017, 50 Let Pobedy departed from Murmansk on the itinerary that repeated the route of the Russian North Pole expedition on the old Arktika icebreaker in 1977 (August 9-22). 50 Let Pobedy embarked on the anniversary voyage with about 100 passengers, among which were some from the 1977 expedition. On August 17, 1977, the old Arktika ship reached the North Pole. The vessel was commanded by Captain Yury Kuchiyev. The 2017 expedition also reached the planet's northernmost point on August 17.

Follows an exemplary cruise itinerary of the icebreaker, leaving out of Helsinki. The 11 nights / 12 days, round-trip cruise is themed "North Pole: Ultimate Arctic Adventure". Its prices start from around USD 34,300 PP.

Date / TimePort
22 JulDeparting from Helsinki, Finland
22 JulDeparting from Murmansk, Arctic Russia
23 JulBarents Sea
24-25-26 JulPack Ice Cruising
27 JulNorth Pole
28 JulPack Ice Cruising
29-30 JulFranz Josef Land (exploring)
31 JulPack Ice Cruising
01 AugBarents Sea
02 AugMurmansk
02 AugArriving in Helsinki

In 2019, additional to the Sea Spirit ship, Poseidon Expeditions also chartered the 50 Years of Victory for the "Top of the World," icebreaker cruise itinerary. Departures were scheduled for July 7, 18 and 29.

Poseidon Expeditions 2021 icebreaker cruise (Top of the World) is scheduled for July and August on the 50 Years of Victory. This is Poseidon Expeditions 20th icebreaker-charter season to the North Pole (since 2001) with handled 4600+ polar travelers. Poseidon Expeditions icebreaking voyages in 2021 are July 10-22, July 21-August 2 and August 1-13. fares are inclusive of an overnight pre-cruise hotel in Murmansk, all transfers (to/from the ship and airport), helicopter tours, onboard gratuities.

NS 50 Let Pobedy icebreaker vessel details

Prior to boarding the ship, Quark Expeditions line takes its passengers through a nuclear facility. This is a high-security area on the Russian nuclear submarines. The Pobedy ship has two nuclear reactors, capable of producing 74,000 horsepower output. 50 Years of Victory was an experimental project, as for the first time in the Russian icebreaker shipbuilding was constructed a vessel with a spoon-shaped bow. As predicted by the designers, the innovative hull-shape increased the ship's efficiency in breaking the Arctic Ocean ice. The ship is capable to break through ice up to 5 m / 16 ft thick. The 50 Let Pobedy icebreaker is an upgrade of the Arktika-class Russian Arctic fleet of vessels.

Since 2008, the ship is mastered by Captain Dmitriy Lobusov, who is in Russia's icebreaking fleet since 1988.