MAJOR ICEBREAKERS OF THE WORLD

N N N N N N N N N
50 Let Pobedy Sovetskiy Soyuz Rossiya Yamal Vaygach Taymyr Arktika Sibir Ural
(2007) (1990 refit 2014) (1985 refit 2007) (1993) (1990 refit 2016) (1989) (2019) (2020) (2021)

N N B B B N
Leader-Class Icebreaker Project 10570 Gennadiy Nevelskoy Novorossisk Murmansk Vladivost ok Sevmorput Alexey Chirikov Vi t us Bering Akademik Tryoshnikov
(Estimated 2024) (TBD) (2017) (2016) (2015) (2015) (1988 refit 2015) (2013) (2012) (2011)

B B
RUSSIA Varandei St. Petersburg Moskva Vladislav Strizhov Yuri Topchev Paci fi c Ent erp ri se Paci fi c End eavor Pacific Endurance Kapit an Dranit syn Kapit an Sorokin
(2008) (2008) (2007) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2006) (2006) (1980 refit 1999) (1977 refit 1990)
(46) + 11 under construction
+ 4 pl anned
Akademik Fedorov Vladimir Ignat yuk Kapit an Khlebnikov Kapit an Nikolayev Krasin Admiral Makarov Yermak Fedor Ushakov Stepan Makarov Mikhail Lazarev
(1987) (1983) (1981) (1978) (1976) (1975) (1974) (2017) (2017) (2017)

Viktor Chernomyrdin Aleksand r Sannikov Aker Arc 130A Ivan Papanin Nikolay Zubov Project Tundra Aleut Pomor Norman Balt ika Toboi
(2017) (2017) (2017) (2019) (2020) (TBD) (2016) (2016) (2016) (2015) (2008)

SCF Sakh al i n Ivan Papanin Vasiliy Golovnin Vengeri Dikson Mudyug Magadan Ki g ori ak Dudinka Tor Ob
(2005) (1990) (1987) (1983) (1983) (1982) (1982) (1979) (1969) (1964) (2018)

CANADA John G. Diefenbaker Louis St.Laurent Terry Fox Amundsen Henry Larsen Sir Wilfrid Laurier DesGroseilliers Pierre Radisson Harry Dewolf Margaret Brooke
(2022)
(7) + 2 under construction (1969 refit 1993) (1983) (1979 refit 2013) (1988) (1986) (1983) (1978) (2018) (2019)

+ 5 planned
Max Bernays William Hall Frederick Rolet t e Robert Hampt on Grey
(2020) (2020) (2021) (2022)

FINLAND B B B B B
Polaris Nordica Fennica Kontio Otso Sisu Urho Hermes Thetis Voima
(10) (2016) (1994) (1993) (1987) (1986) (1976) (1975) (1983) (1983) (1954 refit 1979)

SWEDEN B B B B
Baltic Icebreaker
B
Baltic Icebreaker Arctic Icebreaker
(7) + 3 pl anned Oden
(1989)
Ymer
(1977)
Frej
(1975)
At le
(1974) (2021) (2025) (2030)
Tor Viking II
(2011)
Balder Viking
(2011)
Vidar Viking
(2001)

USA Polar Sea Polar St ar USCG Pol ar Iceb reaker USCG Pol ar Icebreaker USCG Pol ar Icebreaker Healy Aiviq Nathaniel B. Palmer
(5) + 3 planned (1978 refit 2006) (1976 refit 2013) (2023) (2025) (2026) (2000) (2012) (1992)

DENMARK B
Brage Viking
B
Magne Viking
B
Loke Viking
B
Njord Viking
(4) (2012) (2011) (2011) (2011)

CHINA Xue Long Haibing 722 Haibing 723 Pol ar Support Vessel
(3) + 1 under const ruct ion (1993) (2016) (2016) ( 2019)

NORWAY Svalbard Kronprins Haakon

KEY
(1) + 1 under const ruct ion (2002) (2017)
Vessels were selected and organized based on their installed power measured in Brake Horse Power (BHP).
Vessels with less than 10,000 BHP were not considered to be capable of independent Arctic operation. Vessels
are ordered by age, youngest first, within power groupings. Vessel outlines reflect relative sizes.

ESTONIA B
Bot nica
B
Tarmo
COLOR GUIDE NOTES
(2) (1998) (1963)
> 45,000 BHP
Government owned
or o perate d
AUSTRALIA > 20,000 BHP Unavailable
Aurora Australis Polar Support Vessel
(1) + 1 planned (1990) (2020) < 45,000 BHP N Nuclear Power
NB B Designed for
> 10,000 BHP Name Baltic use
(year launched or refit )
GERMANY Polarstern Aurora Boreali s
< 20,000 BHP Been to the
Nort h Pole
(1) + 1 planned (1982 refit 2001) (Estimat ed 2020)
Under Construction

CHILE Almirante Oscar Viel Polar Support Vessel Planned

(1) + 1 planned (1967) (2021)
Data derived from multiple sources of information The most current version of this chart is located at:
Updated 1 May 2017 ht t p :/ / w w w .uscg.mil / hq / cg 5/ cg552/ ice.asp

JAPAN Shirase
Direct Questions and Comments to:
(1) (2009)
CDR William Woityra - (202) 372-1540
email: william.c.woityra@uscg.mil

SOUTH KOREA Araon

Major Icebreakers of the World
Explanatory Piece
(1) (2009) The Coast Guard Office of Waterways and Ocean Policy (CG-WWM) began producing the chart of major icebreakers of the world in July 2010. Since then, we have
gathered icebreaker information and recommendations from a variety of sources and experts, including icebreaker subject-matter experts, internet posts, news
updates, Arctic experts and Coast Guard offices with icebreaker equities. We validate our information within the public forum and update the chart at least annually

SOUTH AFRICA AgulhasII

based on new information and feedback. This chart represents the Coast Guard’s current factual understanding of the major icebreaker fleet. This chart is not intended
for icebreaker fleet comparisons and no inference should be drawn regarding a country’s icebreaker “ranking” against another.

(1) (2012)
Scope: Vessels meeting the general definition of a polar icebreaker per the 2007 National Research Council report on Polar Icebreakers in a Changing World are
included. These vessels “have sailed in significant sea ice in either the Arctic or the Antarctic,” have “ice strengthening sufficient for polar ice” and possess “installed
power of at least 10,000 horsepower.” Minimally ice-strengthened ships (enough to survive in ice, rather than operate in it) and icebreakers of less than 10,000
horsepower are not included. With the exception of the Baltic icebreakers, this chart does not indicate where their owners may actually operate them. In addition, the
LATVIA B
Varma
chart does not specify whether a vessel’s crew is civilian or military.

(1) (1968)
Classification Methodology: The chart organizes the icebreakers first by country, then by installed power category, and finally in order of placement in service,
youngest to oldest. The chart colors icebreakers by their relative capability estimated using brake horsepower as the most common basis. The most capable
icebreakers are black, the next level sea-green and the lightest icebreakers are blue. Icebreakers in construction are colored yellow, and planned icebreakers are
white. Planned icebreakers are placed on the chart if we can reliably state they are funded. The chart identifies government-owned or -operated icebreakers with the

ARGENTINA Almirant e Irizar

country’s flag next to the icebreaker. Nuclear-powered icebreakers are marked with an N. Baltic icebreakers designed to operate solely in seasonal, first-year Baltic
Sea ice but meeting the ice-strengthening and horsepower criteria are marked on the chart with a B. Most Baltic icebreakers may not have operated in the Arctic due

(1) (1978 refit 2017)

to concerns with open-ocean sea-keeping ability for open water transits.

Fleet numbers and Icebreaker Size in Context: The fleet numbers and icebreaker size tend to align along each county’s economic necessity for icebreaker
resources. For example, the economies of Finland, Russia and Sweden have greater dependence on major icebreakers to pursue economic goals in the Arctic and
Baltic winters than the economies of other nations. Also, ice in these countries’ shipping lanes, rivers and ports forms earlier, lasts longer, and requires more power to

UNITED KINGDOM break, requiring more extensive icebreaking capabilities. Similarly, the Canadian icebreaker fleet supports summer access and supply to Canada’s Arctic communities.
In contrast, in addition to the polar icebreakers already listed, the U.S has a number of icebreakers operating in the Great Lakes, New England and the mid-Atlantic to

+ 1 under const ruct ion Sir David Attenborough facilitate commerce and for exigent circumstances, but these are not listed in this chart because the icebreakers are not required to meet the threshold of at least
10,000 BHP.
(2019)

Developed and maintained by the USCG Office of Waterways and Ocean Policy (CG-WWM)