MOSCOW, July 31. /TASS/. Russia plans to retain its global leadership in the construction and operation of nuclear-powered icebreakers, according to the new Maritime Doctrine approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday.
"The priority areas of the development of Russia’s ship-building industry are <…> retaining of the global leadership in the construction and operation of nuclear-powered icebreakers," it says.
Russia also plans to develop the infrastructure of the domestic nuclear fleet, the system of monitoring its safe operation and improve technologies of the disposal of ships with nuclear units and nuclear waste.
Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Viktor Yevtukhov said earlier that the plan for the development of the Northern Sea Route infrastructure provides for the construction of 37 ships (eight icebreakers, 16 rescue boats, and 13 hydrographic survey ships), including icebreakers of Project 22220 and Project Leader. Two of them, the Arctic and the Siberia icebreaker, have already been built and are operated along the Northern Sea Route. Another nuclear icebreaker, the Ural, is expected to be commissioned in November.