NS Arktika, a nuclear-powered Soviet icebreaker became the first surface ship to reach the North Pole in 1977.
She also spent more than a year at sea in 2000 without making port and thus became the first civilian ship doing this feat.
She was a double-hulled icebreaker with greater dynamic force equipped with air bubbling system (ABS) to further breakup of ice.
She was built by Baltic Shipyard, one of the oldest shipyards in Russia, and launched on 26 December 1972 and in service from 1975 to 2008. She was owned by Russian Federation.
The power was achieved by two nuclear reactors (OK-900A) and two steam turbo generators. Her endurance period was about 7-8 months with a crew of 189.
She was facilitated with Helipad and hangar to carry one Mi-2, Mi-8 aircrafts or Ka-27 helicopter.
She was decommissioned in October 2008.
Giants on the Waters
