Fire breaks out on Russia's sole nuclear-powered cargo vessel, 'Sevmorput'
6:48 AM EST, December 25, 2023
"No one was harmed in the incident," authorities reassured via a Telegram channel.
As reported by RIA Novosti, firefighters extinguished a fire in a cabin of the barge "Sevmorput". The fire covered an area of approximately 323 square feet.
Named after the Northern Sea Route
The "Sevmorput" is a Soviet icebreaker equipped with a KLT-40 type nuclear power plant. It is the largest of just four non-military, commercially operated vessels with nuclear propulsion ever constructed.
Additionally, it is the largest barge transport system based on displacement and is named after the Northern Sea Route, for which it was constructed. The "Sevmorput" is the only ship from Project 10081.
Atomflot, a Russian company, maintains the Russian fleet of icebreakers. This specific fleet, managed by Atomflot, was created to further Russian objectives in the field of marine transport via the Northern Sea Route - a shortcut between Europe and Asia located in the Arctic region.
The cause of the fire remains a mystery, and an investigation has been launched.
