Aker Arctic to design next-generation icebreaker for Finland

Photo: Aker Arctic

The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA) has chosen Helsinki-headquartered Aker Arctic to design the next-generation Baltic Sea assistance icebreaker as part of the Winter Navigation Motorways of the Sea III (WINMOS III) project co-financed by the European Union. In addition to initial design, various technical evaluations and concept comparison, the work will include model tests and development of the final concept design package.

FTIA says that vessel will be a B+ size icebreaker between a heavy Ice Class A icebreaker and a medium-sized Ice Class B icebreaker. The B+ will respond agilely to the changing winter conditions in Finland at sea and the growing need for assistance for merchant ships in the future.

“The ice winters of the future at sea will continue to be challenging, and possibly even more challenging than today, as the wind will press ice masses together and the conditions in the ice field will vary,” says y,” says Virpi Anttila, director of division at FTIA. . “The B+ icebreaker could operate in the Bay of Bothnia in early winter and then move on to assist merchant vessels heading to the ports of Southern Finland.”

Ensuring year-round access to Finnish ports requires maintaining sufficient icebreaking capacity. For example, during the average ice winter of 2023–2024 the first Finnish icebreaker was deployed to the Bothnian Bay by as soon as late November and by the end of January the whole Finnish icebreaker fleet was in operation.

“Tightening energy efficiency requirements will reduce the independent ice-going capability of new commercial vessels and consequently increase the need for icebreaking services also during mild winters. In addition to high operational icebreaking capability, the icebreaker design thus highlights the ability to operate in more dynamic and fragmented ice fields, as well as good seakeeping characteristics and low fuel consumption in open water transit,” says Mika Hovilainen, CEO, Aker Arctic.

Meeting the tightening emission targets of the maritime industry will call for the adoption of new environmentally friendly technical solutions in future icebreakers. The initial design phase will include the evaluation of different fuel alternatives and machinery configurations suitable for icebreakers. In addition, the use of different electric energy storage systems to balance out the load fluctuation will be investigated based on the typical operational profile of a Baltic Sea assistance icebreaker.

The development of the next-generation icebreaker design will begin immediately. In addition to the initial technical evaluations and studies, the first phase will also include the comparison of three concept alternatives in terms of performance and costs for acquisition, service, and maintenance over the lifetime of the vessel. The performance of at least two concepts will be evaluated with model tests. The final concept design package will be completed in early 2026, opening the door for a competitive tender to construct the ship.

The FTIA has applied for EU support for the potential construction and decisions on this are expected in summer 2025.