Ships for navigating in icy waters are provided. Such ships include in the stern area a wedge which extends from bottom of the ship downwards transversely to the ship. The wedge may have a first surface inclined towards the bow and a second surface inclined towards stern with respect to a horizontal plane. These two surfaces can be connected to each other forming a lower edge of wedge. The wedge is at least partially arranged below waterline of the ship. The first inclined surface is dimensioned in such a way that in the case of forward motion, the first surface contacting the flow of water, generates a lift force in order to modify the longitudinal trim of the ship acting as a trim wedge. The second inclined surface also is shaped advantageously in the case of reverse motion in icy waters.

A device for ice-breaking with a vessel has two functionally separate upper and lower elements of different widths. The upper, wider element is situated next to the water line for breaking unbroken ice, and the lower, narrower element is situated below the upper element and for transporting broken ice sideways and under the unbroken ice. The upper wider element has a flat lower portion abaft an inclining front part with a small frame angle and breaks ice downward when moving ahead, and a flat stern part with a small frame angle and breaks ice downward when moving astern. The lower element has vertical side portions which in the forebody and the afterbody have a marked wedge-shape and shove broken ice sideways. Transport of broken ice sideways and astern can be augmented by bow propellers and wing propellers.

A wide beam, multi-hull icebreaker and method of operation thereof for opening a wide track through which large commercial vessels may traverse is disclosed. The icebreaker includes a plurality of hulls spaced apart and arranged generally in parallel to one another, with each of the hulls including a bow thereon configured to break through a sheet of ice through which the icebreaker traverses. The spaced apart hulls define at least one channel therebetween into which ice broken by the hulls is routed, and the hulls are spaced apart a distance such that a beam of the icebreaker is as wide as a beam of a commercial vessel it is servicing. A conveyor system may be included on the icebreaker that removes broken ice from the channel(s) between the hulls and casts it to the side of the track to leave a less dense track of broken ice.