"By 2014 we are to design, build and put into commission an atomic icebreaker of a new generation", he said at the Friday session of the Marine Board under the Russian government.
Today Russia has eight icebreakers. A program for prolonging their service life is now underway. The ninth vessel is to be built and put into by 2006. it will be named after the 50th Victory Anniversary. Its construction began at the Baltic Factory in St. Petersburg over ten years ago.
"Prolonging the service life of the existing vessels and commissioning the new icebreaker will ensure navigation on the Northern Sea Route until 2013", Mr. Levitin said.
There has been no unified control of the icebreaker fleet since 1991, he noted. The transportation minister proposed passing control of icebreakers to the Federal Unitary State Enterprise Rosmorport.
Russia is the only country to have a fleet of icebreakers.
