A joint venture between Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation and the Finnish branch of shipbuilding group STX Arctech Helsinki Shipyard has won a tender for the construction of an icebreaker for the Finnish Transport Agency. The icebreaker will use both diesel and LNG as its fuel, which diminishes its emissions and operating costs.
Procurement of the new icebreaker by Finnish Transport Agency is to renew the aging fleet of state-owned icebreakers, improve the level of icebreaker services and ensure the competitiveness of Finnish exports. The procurement is worth EUR 123 million and the final contract will be signed by the end of February. The vessel will be delivered by winter 2016.
The new icebreaker has been designed especially for the demanding ice-breaking operations in the Baltic Sea. The vessel will be able to move continuously through about 1.6 m thick level ice, to break a 25 meter wide channel in 1.2 meter thick ice at speed of 6 knots, as well as to reach 9 – 11 knots of average assistance speed in the Baltic Sea. In open water the service speed will be minimum 16 knots. The vessel will also be equipped for oil spill response operations and emergency towing missions.
Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Inc., 50% owned by STX Finkand, specializes in arctic shipbuilding technology, e.g. building icebreakers and other Arctic offshore and special vessels.
(Sources: Arctech and STX)
