The article specifically says the tanker is designed to operate independently, without need for an ice breaker: > But the Christophe de Margerie, named for a f

The article specifically says the tanker is designed to operate independently, without need for an ice breaker: > But the Christophe de Margerie, named for a former CEO of French oil giant Total, is specially designed to sail independently through ice as thick as 2.1 meters (nearly 7 feet), its owner said. So, the article is interesting but the stated "first" seems like it would have happened anyway, because the ship was designed specifically for the task.