WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Canada's announcement comes amid plans by Russia and the United States to develop their icebreaker fleets.
"Canada currently has seven diesel-powered icebreakers that operate in the Arctic and plans for the construction of one diesel-powered polar icebreaker," Saindon said.
Rosatomflot Director General Vyacheslav Ruksha told RIA Novosti earlier in May that Russia’s maiden Project 22220 nuclear-powered icebreaker dubbed "Arktika" will be floated out at the Baltic Shipyard in the summer of 2016.
Saindon noted that the Canadian Coast Guard, which is a special operating agency within the DFO, is responsible for safeguarding movement of vessels through Canadian waters to ensure human safety and the protection of the marine environment.
"The anticipated increases in vessel traffic in the Arctic are of great concern to the Coast Guard in light of the difficulties associated with conducting search and rescue in the region and the vulnerability of the environment and wildlife habitat to vessel traffic and spills and the knock-on implications for people whose well-being is closely tied to that of the environment in which they live," Saidon noted.
Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the US Coast Guard in 2009 which provides for the exchange of information on the design and construction of new vessels, including icebreakers.
Russia has the largest icebreaker fleet, with six nuclear-powered icebreakers, more than 30 ocean-going icebreakers, and over half a dozen under construction. Russia is also developing two new nuclear icebreakers as part of Project 22220, capable of cutting through ice that is 13 feet deep.
