Captain of a nuclear icebreaker is one of the rarest professions in the world

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There are quite a few rare professions in the world. However, you can literally count the representatives of one of them on your fingers.

We are talking about captains of nuclear icebreakers who guide convoys of ships through thick ice in harsh Arctic conditions.



According to representatives of this rare and extremely complex profession, the ability to lead and make important decisions cannot be acquired quickly. For this it is not enough to graduate from a university. Invaluable practice is gained over many years during the journey from 3rd rank assistant to captain.

There is no other way here. After all, the captain of a nuclear icebreaker bears enormous responsibility for the fulfillment of the mission, and most importantly, for the safety of the ship and the entire crew.

The crew size of modern icebreakers, such as GUAL Arktika and SUAL Sibir, is 54 people. Almost all ship systems are monitored by automation. Meanwhile, main control is carried out directly on the captain's bridge.

The captain is in charge of everything. Even if the barmaid fell on campus and twisted her leg. The captain is responsible for this

– says captain of SUAL “Siberia” Oleg Shchapin.

At the same time, the captain of a nuclear icebreaker has to continuously analyze the external situation in order to plot the optimal route in the future.

Where are you, in what element, where will the mass of ice move, what kind of wind will work, what worked before. This is all a completely comprehensive analysis.

– says captain of GUAL “Arctic” Vasily Gubkin.

In a special report dedicated to Nuclear Industry Worker Day, which is celebrated in the Russian Federation on September 28, Timur Sultanov talks about the specifics of the service of captains of Russian nuclear icebreakers.