China’s new 10-MW propulsor can help icebreakers break through nearly 7-foot ice

China’s first domestically developed high-power podded propulsor for polar icebreaking vessels rolled off the production line in Shanghai on Tuesday. It will advance the country’s efforts to replace imported propulsion equipment in this specialized sector.

Powermaster Marine developed the 10-megawatt system, which completed full-scale testing in China before its planned shipment to a European shipyard.

Its all-electric design and 360-degree rotation enable icebreaking in both forward and reverse directions, according to reports from China Central Television (CCTV) and Shanghai Observer.

Tested beyond rated operating limits

Podded propulsors for polar vessels face repeated ice impacts and extremely low temperatures. These conditions demand high structural strength, stable power output, and long-term reliability.

The new system underwent full-scale testing on a domestic 40-megawatt full-load test platform to assess its performance under extreme conditions. It marked the first full-scale test of this kind in China.

According to Shanghai Observer, the testing program included 18 checks, with trials conducted at 150 percent overload and 120 percent overspeed.

Powermaster Marine chairman and general manager Zhou Hao said the propulsor can operate at 160 percent of its rated torque under icebreaking conditions. He also said it can break through ice up to 2.1 meters thick (nearly 7 feet), including 20 cm of snow cover.

The system’s rotating design lets it break ice in either direction. These capabilities are supported by the equipment’s all-electric propulsion system.

European shipyard installation planned

The propulsor is expected to arrive at a European shipyard in late November, Shanghai Observer reported. Installation on a vessel is planned for February 2027, followed by shipboard testing in June.

Delivery readiness is expected between August and October. These remain scheduled milestones, with the system’s shipboard testing still ahead.

The project follows a shipboard order Powermaster Marine secured in February 2025 for a high-power, high-ice-class podded propulsion system. According to Shanghai Observer, it was China’s first such order.

The report said the order made Powermaster Marine the world’s second supplier capable of providing this equipment, after Swiss technology group ABB.

The production milestone also places China among the few countries capable of developing high-power podded propulsion systems for actual use on polar icebreaking vessels, according to Shanghai Observer.

Strengthening domestic marine equipment

The development addresses China’s longstanding reliance on overseas suppliers for this category of polar vessel propulsion equipment.

Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the achievement marks a major step toward overcoming a technological bottleneck in China’s high-end shipbuilding industry.

Wang said it also strengthens the domestic marine equipment supply chain by moving related industries from technological testing toward practical shipboardapplications.

He added that this could improve China’s ability to independently develop and manufacture advanced marine equipment while raising standards across the broader supply chain.

The rollout comes as China expands its polar research capabilities.

On September 30, the research icebreakers Xuelong and Xuelong 2 returned to Shanghai after completing the country’s 16th Arctic Ocean expedition.