The Vaygach nuclear-powered icebreaker has beaten the world record for nuclear propulsion longevity, the press service of the Rosatomflot company said on Friday.

"On February 16, 2018, the Vaygach icebreaker beat the record for nuclear propulsion longevity set by the Arktika icebreaker in August 2008," said the press service. "The new record is 177,205 hours (the previous record was 177,204 hours)."

This has become possible thanks to the specialists of Rosatomflot and the Afrikantov Experimental Design Bureau for Mechanical Engineering, who have completed their project to extend the service life of nuclear power systems at the Vaygach and Taymyr icebreakers from 100,000 to 200,000 hours. "This work will allow the company to efficiently use four nuclear icebreakers," the company said.

Now the Vaygach will be in service until 2023, when new-generation icebreakers are expected to be ready, thereby ruling out any "ice pause" — a temporary shortage in operating icebreakers due to the expired old vessels and the lack of new ones.