Ice‑Sawing & Ship Repair on the Lena: Engineering Solutions for Siberian Maritime Operations

The season‑long expedition to Yakutsk, a city high in the Sakha Republic, provided a valuable glimpse into the region’s maritime logistics and engineering ingenuity. After a brief, uneventful drive from the village of Khandyga through vast stretches of Siberian flatlands, the team reached the city’s outskirts, where the operational heart of the region’s river fleet lies. Central to the visit was the Zhatay dockyard, located along the banks of the Lena River. Unlike conventional dry‑dock facilities, Zhatay faces a formidable climatic challenge: temperatures routinely fall below –50 °C and the river becomes a sprawling sheet of ice that can reach several meters thick. During a typical repair session, a vessel’s propeller or hull section beneath the waterline must be accessed for inspection or refurbishment. The dockyard’s solution is ingeniously simple yet highly effective. Engineers employ industrial chainsaws to shave thin (“layer‑by‑layer”) slices of ice away from the targeted spot. Each cut allows a new portion of ice to freeze over the exposed water, gradually exposing the ship’s underside. This controlled thaw‑freeze cycle continues until the area requiring maintenance becomes reachable. "The key is to remove the ice gradually rather than all at once," explains lead engineer Alexei Sokolov. "A single, deep cut could destabilise the ice sheet or harm the vessel. By working in thin layers, we preserve structural integrity and maintain a safe working environment for our crew.” The technique demands physically demanding labor in sub‑zero temperatures. Teams, often comprising a handful of specialists and a skilled operator—a woman who has been with the dockyard for over a decade—use commercial‑grade chainsaws, pick‑axes, and protective gear designed to minimise heat loss. Reports indicate that crew remuneration is commensurate with the risks and expertise required. Beyond routine repairs, Zhatay is expanding its capabilities to support new ship construction. Recent footage shows modular facilities being erected, where wooden frames and steel components are assembled on a temporary mooring platform, awaiting ice‑cut access for final fabrication stages. An interesting adaptation noted during the visit is the use of “wheel ships,” vessels equipped with paddle‑wheels rather than conventional propellers. Due to the shallow and often ice‑covered Lena, such ships allow for easier navigation and are less likely to sink when the riverbed is exposed. The mechanical internals of these paddle‑wheel systems are being documented for future restoration projects. Through these practices, the Yakutsk dockyard exemplifies how traditional engineering can be combined with innovative environmental adaptation. The ability to conduct ship maintenance and construction amid Siberia’s hardest winters ensures the continuity of transportation and logistics across the vast Russian hinterland. The expedition’s photographic record—captured by the team’s chief photographer, Dmitry Zverev—includes striking images of chainsaw operators in full freeze‑grade gear, the gradual thinning of ice, and the interior workings of a paddle‑wheel craft. Detailed captions accompany each image, highlighting the technical aspects and the human effort behind the operations. For maritime and logistics professionals, Yakutsk’s ice‑sawing methodology represents a compelling case study in field‑based problem solving, where resourcefulness, precision, and adaptation converge to maintain operational readiness amid extreme environmental constraints.