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As Arctic ice gets thinner, you could expect that icebreakers would become less important. However, the volume of traffic in Arctic waterways is now increasing, and with it the demand for ships that can navigate ice-covered waters. President Putin of Russia has suggested that the Arctic sea could overtake the Suez Canal in trade volume, as it offers a short route from Europe to the Asian Pacific, and he wants more icebreakers to escort convoys.
In winter, the ice cover in the Arctic Ocean can be up to two and a half metres thick. Nuclear powered icebreakers can force a passage through this at up to 10 knots, leaving a path clear for other vessels. Thinner ice in other seasons or farther south can be traversed more quickly. Ships trapped in ice can only be rescued by icebreakers, and they are also the only vessels able to help with oil spills in frozen conditions.
The Russians have seven nuclear icebreakers and proposals to build three more. They also possess several non-nuclear icebreakers. The US Coast Guard has just three heavy (non-nuclear) icebreakers, and there are plans to decommission two of them. Mead Treadwell, Lieutenant Governor of Alaska, fears that the US is being left behind. He wants more Coast Guard icebreakers, not just for emergency rescue, but also to boost international trade. "A couple of icebreakers at $750m (£484m) or so apiece can actually open up a major sea route for global commerce," he said.
