The media reported on a German icebreaker stuck in the Arctic

The German icebreaker Neuwerk got stuck in the Arctic ice due to a technical malfunction. This was reported on February 14 by NDR TV channel.

The vessel was supposed to provide tanker transportation to the liquefied natural gas terminal in the port of Mukran on the coast of the island of Rügen. According to the German Directorate of Waterways and Shipping, after putting to sea, the icebreaker was forced to return to the port of Mukran. Experts conducted an inspection of the multipurpose vessel, but the nature of the damage has not been officially disclosed. The timing of possible repairs is also unknown. According to online portals, Neuwerk headed to Rostock on Saturday.

Due to the difficult ice conditions, tugboats are being used to clear the water area. A thick layer of ice made the port of Mukran inaccessible to tankers for several days. Earlier, the icebreaker was transferred from the North Sea to the Baltic Sea to ensure passage through the shipping channel, while Arkona, the largest icebreaker in the Baltic, was sent to the North Sea. Currently, the vessels are escorted to the port of Sassnitz by the chartered tugboat VB Bremen Fighter.

The breakdown of Neuwerk led to a delay in the arrival of the tanker with liquefied natural gas Minerva Amorgos, which has been in the ice-free zone of the Baltic Sea off the coast of Rügen for about a week.

Commenting on the situation on February 15 in an interview with Izvestia, political scientist Yuri Svetov noted that the Russian icebreaking fleet has sufficient capabilities to operate in the most difficult conditions. According to him, Russia has 43 icebreaking vessels at its disposal, eight of which are nuclear—powered, while European countries and the United States do not have icebreakers of comparable capacity.

The expert also expressed the opinion that the sanctions imposed by European states, including restrictions against the Rosatom state corporation and its structures, do not allow Russia to provide assistance in such situations.

The ice has broken: construction of a new nuclear icebreaker Stalingrad has begun in Russia

At the ceremony, the President noted the importance of developing the Transarctic corridor from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok and named Russia's key priorities in the Arctic.

Andrey Puchkov, General Director of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), announced on November 18 last year during the laying ceremony of the nuclear icebreaker Stalingrad that Russia had begun construction of the largest series of seven icebreakers in world history. He also noted that over the past two years, under the leadership of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the nuclear-powered ship Chukotka was launched and the icebreaker Leningrad was laid down.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.