Nuclear-powered icebreaker
On 17 August 1977, NS "Arktika" ("Arctic") became the first surface ship ever to reach the North Pole. "Arktika" was withdrawn from service in 2008 after clocking up 175,000 hours of reactor operation time and covering more than 1 million nautical miles. Rather than be scrapped, there are calls for her to be converted to a museum ship, like her predecessor "Lenin".
Brazilian icebreaker Almirante Maximiano
"Almirante Maximiano" (H-41) is an icebreaker and oceanographic research ship of the Brazilian Navy. The ship bears this name in honor of Admiral Maximiano Eduardo da Silva Fonseca. It was built by the Todd Pacific Shipyards of Seattle, Washington, and was launched on 13 February 1974. It was acquired by the Brazilian Navy on 3 September 2008 for the Brazilian Antarctic Program. Prior to Brazilian service, the ship served commercial operations under the names "Ocean Empress", "Naeraberg", "American Empress", "Maureen Sea", "Scotoil I" and "Theriot Offshore I".