Baltika icebreaker

Baltika ("ледокол Балтика") is a Russian icebreaking vessel owned by the Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport of Russia (abbreviated as Rosmorrechflot / Росморречфлот - "Федеральное агентство морского и речного транспорта") and operated by FGI Gosmorspassluzhba (the Russian Marine Emergency Rescue Service).

The vessel (IMO number 9649237) is Russia-flagged (MMSI 273320720) and registered in Sankt-Petersburg.

Baltika is the world’s first marine vessel built with an asymmetric (oblique) hull. This innovative design enables her to operate not only forward and backward but also sideways (at a large angle of attack), allowing her to open a wide channel for larger merchant ships. On December 8, 2011, Arctech Helsinki Shipyard signed a EUR 76 million contract with the Russian Ministry of Transport to build an "icebreaking multipurpose emergency and rescue vessel" for Rosmorrechflot.

This icebreaker is designed to create a 160 ft / 50 m wide clear channel in 2 ft / 0.6 m thick ice when moving sideways. The hull of the world’s first oblique icebreaker was initially to be produced by Shipyard Yantar JSC in Kaliningrad. Steel cutting began on April 24, 2012, and the keel was laid on July 6, 2012. However, instead of launching the hull in Kaliningrad and towing it for outfitting, the blocks were transported to Helsinki, where the hull was assembled. This change delayed the vessel's delivery until spring 2014.

On May 15, 2014, Baltika departed Helsinki under tow for Kaliningrad, where she remained moored until the end of the year. In December 2014, the icebreaker was towed to St Petersburg and officially delivered on December 30. The ceremonial hoisting of the Russian flag was held on February 20, 2015. On March 6, 2015, just weeks after entering service, Baltika departed St Petersburg for Murmansk (a Russian Barents Sea port), and from there, she proceeded to conduct ice trials in the Arctic Ocean (Gulf of Ob / Ob Bay).

Rosmorrechflot's Baltika itinerary program includes icebreaking operations and rescue services for large-capacity tankers in the Arctic Ocean.

Baltika icebreaker vessel details

Baltika is a true multipurpose vessel, specifically designed as an icebreaker. She can tow vessels in emergencies, perform rescue operations, and fight external fires. In the event of oil spills, the vertical side of her asymmetric hull can act as a sweeping arm, directing oil floating on the surface toward a built-in skimmer as the ship moves obliquely through the slick.

Baltika is classified by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping as an "Icebreaker6" vessel. This class requires the ship to operate continuously in level ice up to 3.3 ft / 1 m thick and be reinforced for navigation in non-Arctic waters with ice up to 5 ft / 1.5 m thick.

The vessel is equipped with one dining room, a sauna, one swimming pool (no Jacuzzis), no elevator, and a helipad (helicopter deck).

• Max Draft: 6 m / 20 ft
• DWT (Deadweight Tonnage): 1150 tons

Note: In areas with limited AIS coverage, tracking the vessel's real-time position may be unavailable. You can view CruiseMapper’s complete list of icebreakers and icebreaking research vessels in the "itinerary" section of our Icebreakers hub, which includes all operating states and their fleets.