BALTIKA

Baltika became the world’s first oblique icebreaker – a vessel that redefined agility with its asymmetrical hull and sideways icebreaking capability. Originally developed to escort wide Aframax tankers with a single ship, Baltika combines three azimuthing thrusters with an innovative hull form, enabling operations ahead, astern, sideways, and even turning on the spot in ice.

From solving roll resonance in heavy seas to integrating oil spill recovery systems, Baltika’s development pushed ship design into unexplored territory. Her Arctic trials exceeded expectations, proving she could achieve the same results as conventional icebreakers with half the propulsion power.

Baltika was built by Arctech Helsinki Shipyard (Finland) in co-operation with Shipyard Yantar JSC (Kaliningrad, Russia) and delivered in 2014.

Learn more about this project

We invite you to explore the story of this project in greater depth through our Arctic Passion News blog.
There, we share insights, background, and behind-the-scenes details that bring the project to life from different perspectives. Find a selection of related articles with a link to continue reading:

The world’s first oblique icebreaker raised agility to a new level

01.08.2025

Baltika was not just about building a vessel – it was about challenging the limits of ship design. The project showed how unconventional ideas can turn into working solutions at sea.
With her asymmetrical hull and sideways icebreaking ability, she proved that bold concepts can deliver practical breakthroughs.
Read the full story in our anniversary series →