N/S Sevmorput is out, up and running again. She is the only nuclear powered cargo/container ship around with call sign UHBY, IMO number 8729810 and MMSI number: 273137100 . She is heading for the Antarctic with vodka, caviar and other essentials for the Russian research station there.
Sevmorput is actually returning to its home port, Murmansk.
It will be interesting to see if the ship will try to sail to Antarctica again next winter. Mikhelson, who paid for the construction of the new Vostok station, said to Putin that Sevmorput’s previous (failed) attempt was perceived negatively by the other Antarctic Treaty partners who are afraid of a nuclear incident near the South Pole. Because of that, it might be that they’ll send it on a conventionally-fueled vessel instead which, in my opinion, would be a far bigger risk for the fragile Antarctic environment.
I saw Sevmorput in Murmansk in March-April 2015, few months before it returned to service.
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It seems you are right. No vodka, caviar, etc, for the Russians down south. Any way, I like nuclear ships. But not nuclear bombs.
The “SEVMORPUT” is back again. On 7th August the only merchant ship with nuclear propulsion passed the Fehmarnbelt between Germany and Denmark. The 260-Meter long carrier was in St. Petersburg for repairs on her propeller. One blade was lost during a transit in the South Atlantic last October. Now she is running like a young horse again …
Photo : Frank Behling (c)