Elomatic awarded Polarstern 2 icebreaker design contract

Rendering: Ocean Architects and Elomatic

Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has awarded Elomatic Maritime Technologies GmbH a design and engineering contract to support the construction of Germany’s new Polarstern 2 icebreaker. Set to become the world’s largest and most advanced icebreaking research and polar logistics ship, it is to be built for the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research at the Wismar Shipyard, which TKMS acquired in the wake of the collapse of MV Werften. It will replace the existing Polarstern.

Currently, with Meyer Group as a TKMSS tenant, the Wismar shipyard is busy with the conversion and completion of what was to have been the cruise ship Global Dream into the Disney Adventure.

TKMSS is set to start construction of submarines at the yard from 2027. The Polarstern 2 project, which, according to local media is worth EUR 1.2 billion, will fill the gap

Elomatic, an international consulting and engineering company, will provide basic and detail engineering work, as well as providing yard consultancy, during the Polarstern 2 construction phase.

In 2022, members of the senior management from MV Werften decided to join Finnish headquartered Elomatic and establish a company in Wismar. One of the goals was to preserve key ship design expertise in their hometown.

Elomatic says that the contract represents the culmination of a two-year partnership with TKMS to develop the proposal for the new Polarstern 2 project. The vessel will be equipped with a wide portfolio of advanced scientific and logistic equipment, on-board laboratories, and a propulsion system which uses green fuels in combination with a large battery system. Able to break through 1.8-meter thick ice, it is is scheduled to replace the existing Polarstern in 2030.

Elomatic has extensive expertise in icebreaking ship design and engineering. Since 2022, it has served as the primary design and engineering partner for Canada’s new national polar icebreaker, currently in its detail engineering phase at Vancouver Shipyard (VSY).

“The new Polarstern project represents a significant moment for Elomatic, as the largest single ship design contract in the company’s 55-year history,” said Guido Schulte, managing director at Elomatic Maritime Technologies GmbH. “We are extremely excited to continue our collaboration with our partners at TKMS and look forward to further contributing to the creation of this groundbreaking polar research vessel, to be built in our hometown.”

“With the new Polarstern contract, we apply our maritime expertise also to the civilian sector, and prove that we can offer technological excellence at internationally competitive terms,” said TKMS CEO Oliver Burkhard. “Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems is not only setting shipbuilding standards but is also making an active contribution to international research in the fight against climate change – and we are proud to support this mission with technology and innovation. We look forward to continuing this journey together.”