Finland and Sweden to collaborate on icebreaker design

The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA) and the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) are to cooperate on next generation icebreaker designs. In a cooperation agreement, the two organisations have agreed to work initially on designs for two vessels for the FTIA and three for the SMA. There is no agreement yet on possible construction of the vessels.

The future design of these vessels presents some new challenges. On the one hand, climate change is affecting the volume of ice at certain ports through the winter months. On the other hand, merchant vessels are generally increasing in size but, for environmental reasons, are often less powerful, affecting their ability to navigate through ice.

Director general of the FTIA, Kari Wihlman, said: “Safeguarding the service level of winter navigation requires the development of the current icebreaker fleet. The cooperation agreement signed with Sweden is a continuation of many years of good cooperation in this field.” His opposite number at the SMA, Katarina Norén, stressed the importance of effective icebreaking in Sweden where northern ports can be closed for up to 130 days each year without icebreakers to maintain operations. However, existing vessels were at the end of the operating lives, she said, adding that “the first step towards the next generation of icebreakers has now been taken”.