Icebreakers are self-propelled vessels capable of cruising on freezing water. The first icebreaker-steamer was constructed in 1837 in Philadelphia (USA). The tug Pilot constructed in 1864 resemble modern icebreakers in a greater degree. The shape of its fore allowed the ship to break ice in the direction of travel by its own weigh. Russian “Ermak”, the first arctic icebreaker, was launched in England, and “Lenin”, the first nuclear icebreaker, was constructed in the USSR in 1959.

Today, owing to available scientific and design base, there is a possibility of constructing vessels effectively solving problems of navigation in northern waters and development of Arctic. Or course, design and construction of such ships differ in barrel-shaped hull reinforced at the waterline level (ice strake), and fore ends are special-shaped. Since an icebreaker is to run backward, the stern is shaped like a bow, allowing the vessel to break and move apart ice. The length and beam of the hull are calculated basing on the vessel operation conditions.