Finnish Transport Agency News

Finnish companies have designed about 80 percent of the world’s icebreakers, and about 60 percent of them have been built by Finnish shipyards.Finland is home to a strong and vibrant maritime cluster, with a mix of large, medium and small shipyards, as well as a deep pool of marine engineering expertise and a broad network of vessel equipment suppliers.As one of the world’s northernmost countries, Finland is also home to a fleet of icebreakers that keep imports and exports flowing through its harbors, even during the coldest winter months.

The Finnish Transport Agency (FTA), which will become the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA) on 1 January 2019, has issued updated instructions for winter navigation.The instructions for winter navigation have been created in collaboration with the industry, shipping companies, charterers, vessels, icebreakers, pilots and vessel traffic services.In accordance with Finland’s maritime strategy 2014–2022, the objective of these instructions is to ensure smooth, economically viable and internationally competitive Finnish foreign trade and domestic waterborne transport with short waiting times during the winter season.FTA is tasked with public office duties and the procurement associated with the assistance of winter navigation as well with the national coordination…

Maritime digitalization carried out in the European project EfficienSea2 has enabled effective route sharing between different VTS systems in the Baltic Sea. It has the potential to drastically cut the reporting effort for the ship’s crew, while offering authorities a better ability to ensure safe traffic at sea. The days may soon be over when mariners have to pick up a radio to take on the cumbersome task of reporting their vessel and route parameters every time they cross into a new VTS area – at least for those sailing in the Baltic Sea. By cooperating with the Finnish Transport Agency as a part of the EU-funded project EfficienSea2…

Since it started publishing in 1939, Maritime Reporter & Engineering News has recognized excellence in ship construction. Owner: Arctia Icebreaking Ltd. Arctech Helsinki Shipyard delivered the most powerful newcomer in the Finnish Icebreaker fleet, Polaris, to the Finnish Transport Agency. The Finnish Transport Agency handed the vessel over to Arctia Icebreaking Oy. The prototype vessel built at Helsinki Shipyard is designed to serve for at least 50 years in icebreaking, oil recovery and sea rescue ops.

Arctech Helsinki Shipyard delivered the most powerful newcomer in the Finnish Icebreaker fleet, icebreaker Polaris, to the Finnish Transport Agency on September 28th, 2016. The Finnish Transport Agency handed the vessel over to Arctia Icebreaking Oy. The prototype vessel built at Helsinki Shipyard is designed to serve for at least 50 years in icebreaking, oil recovery and sea rescue operations. Previous time an Finnish icebreaker with similar size range was completed in year 1994.

The design and technical features of Finland's newest icebreaker Polaris were presented on Monday, June 6, in Helsinki as part of the CIMAC World Congress. IB Polaris is the most environmentally friendly diesel-electric icebreaker ever built. It uses both low sulphur diesel and LNG as fuel, which significantly reduces its emissions. The special hull form and propulsion arrangement will minimize ice resistance and maximize the icebreaking capacity of the vessel. The main purpose of IB Polaris is icebreaking and assisting of other vessels in ice conditions in the Baltic Sea.

A naming ceremony was held today for Finland’s new-generation icebreaker, Polaris, built at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard. Presently under construction at Helsinki Shipyard, the vessel is designed especially for icebreaking operations in the Baltic Sea and will be fitted for oil recovery and emergency towing. The nearly 110-meter-long vessel’s design and construction features various Finnish technological innovations, such as ice-strengthened propulsion units and an effective oil recovery system integrated into the hull. Furthermore, the icebreaker will be powered by both diesel and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to reduce both carbon emissions and fuel costs, making Polaris the most environmentally friendly icebreaker in the world, according to its builders.

The tendering process for the Yamal Novy Port terminal icebreaker design and build contract has kicked off, seeing seven companies submit bids for the project, IAA PortNews reported. The tender, announced by Vyborg Shipyard entrusted to build the vessels, received bids for the icebreaker’s design and construction from Spetssudoproekt CJSC, Nordic Yards Holding GmbH, Aker Arctic, FSUE Krylov State Research Center, Design Bureau for Shipbuilding “Vympel” OJSC, Marine Engineering Bureau – Design-SPb CJSC, and KhS Morskoye Proektirovanie LLC.

Aker Arctic and Vyborg Shipyard have confirmed a contract for the design of two new icebreakers based on Aker ARC 130 A design. The icebreakers will be used in the oil terminal operated by LLC Gazprom Neft Novy Port in the Gulf of Ob. The new icebreakers represent a further development of the Aker ARC 130 icebreaker concept originally developed for the Finnish Transport Agency. The new design, Aker ARC 130 A, will utilize similar propulsion concept consisting of three azimuth thrusters – two in the stern and one in the bow of the vessel.

The Linde Group, via its Swedish Engineering subsidiary Cryo AB, has been awarded a contract by Meyer Turku Shipyard of Finland to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel gas system for the next-generation high-speed ferry being built for AS Tallink Grupp. The ferry will operate in the Baltic Sea between Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia and has been designed to comply with the European Emission Control Area (ECA) limits thanks to the use of LNG as fuel. Lars Persson, Managing Director of Cryo AB, said: “With this project, AS Tallink Grupp and the marine industry takes an important step to contribute to a green Baltic Sea. The advanced LNG fuel gas system consists of two horizontal, vacuum-insulated 300 m³ tanks plus gas handling and control systems.

The 16 MW Icebreaker for the Russian Ministry of Transport was launched at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard on March 25th, 2015. Before floating the vessel, she was given the name ceremonially by breaking of a champagne bottle on the bow of the vessel. The ship was named by the Godmother of the vessel Marina Vasilyevna Kovtun, the Governor of the Murmansk Region, who wished the best of luck for the Murmansk icebreaker. The vessel being built at Arctech belongs to the series of three new buildings ordered by the Russian Ministry of Transport from Vyborg Shipyard. The basic design and purchasing of major components will be provided by Vyborg Shipyard as well as 40% of the vessels hull blocks. Arctech will be responsible for the construction, outfitting and commissioning of the vessel.

Arctech Helsinki Shipyard is now 100 percent Russian-owned as United Shipbuilding Corporation bought the remaining half of the company’s shares from STX Finland Oy. Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Inc. was founded in December 2010 as United Shipbuilding Corporation bought the first 50 percent of the shipyard shares from STX Finland, a subsidiary of the Korean-owned STX Europe. The joint venture was established to respond to the need of growing market of Arctic shipbuilding and to unite the Finnish and Russian maritime clusters.

A new icebreaker being built by Arctech Helsinki Shipyard for the Finnish Transport Agency will be powered by Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines capable of operating on both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low sulphur diesel fuel. When launched in late 2015, it will be the first LNG-powered icebreaker in the world. Wärtsilä's track record in dual-fuel engine technology was a crucial factor in the award of the contract. By enabling LNG to be used as the engine fuel, both exhaust emissions and fuel costs are notably reduced.

Wärtsilä says that a new icebreaker being built by Arctech Helsinki Shipyard for the Finnish Transport Agency will be powered by Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines capable of operating on both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low sulphur diesel fuel. When launched in late 2015, it will be the first LNG-powered icebreaker in the world. The full scope of supply calls for one 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 20DF, two 9-cylinder Wärtsilä 34DF, and two 12-cylinder Wärtsilä 34DF engines. The vessel will be able to move continuously through 1.6 meter thick ice, and be capable of breaking a 25 meter wide channel in 1.2 meter thick ice at a speed of 6 knots. It will also be able to reach an average assistance speed of 9 to 11 knots and in open water the service speed will be a minimum of 16 knots.

Oil and gas—and also mining—are the drivers today propelling Arctic maritime operations and the construction of new vessels able to operate in extreme latitudes. While the gas and oil resources can be recovered in the Arctic or far north and shipped to markets by sea or pipeline, the cost of doing must be balanced upon the global market price for those commodities. Ships and marine structures able to operate in the harsh conditions of the extreme latitudes require special designs and construction techniques.

Arctech Helsinki Shipyard will build the new icebreaker for the Finnish Transport Agency. The Finnish Transport Agency informed about the results of the tendering process on January 22, 2014. The Finnish Transport Agency procures a new icebreaker to renew the aging fleet of state-owned icebreakers, to improve the level of icebreaker services and to ensure the competitiveness of Finnish exports. The procurement is worth 123 MEU and the final contract will be signed by the end of February. The vessel will be delivered by winter 2016. ”It is great that the new icebreaker of the Finnish government will be built at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard, which has over 100 years experience in building of arctic vessels. We have the best know-how and experienced builders for such projects.

Federal Maritime Commissioner William P. Doyle addressed attendees of the Center For Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Arctic Maritime Awareness seminar on September 27, 2013. The seminar, held at the Finnish Embassy in Washington, DC, was attended by representatives with Arctic interests and featured the Finnish Ambassador to the United States, the Finnish Minister of Transport, the General Director of the Finnish Transport Agency, the head of the Economic Section for the Russian Embassy and the U.S. Coast Guard’s Deputy Commandant for Operations.

The Finnish Transport Agency signed a contract with Aker Arctic Technology Oy for design of a new icebreaker for the government. Aker Arctic in cooperation with ILS Oy will design the vessel and prepare the technical documents needed to hold tender for its construction in compliance with the performance requirements for the vessel, and will assist the Finnish Transport Agency in negotiations with shipyards later this autumn. The government has already taken earlier a decision in principle to procure a new icebreaker; and 125 million euro has been earmarked for its construction by winter 2016.

MMT (Sweden) has been awarded parts of two separate hydrographic survey contracts for the EU financed project 'MONALISA' for the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) and the Finnish Transport Agency (FTA). MONALISA is a Motorways of the Sea project which aims at giving a concrete contribution to efficient, safe and environmentally friendly maritime transport. This is done through development, demonstration and dissemination of innovative e-navigational services to the shipping industry, which can lay the groundwork for a future international deployment. Quality assurance of hydrographic data for the major navigational areas in Swedish and Finnish waters in the Baltic Sea contributes to improving safety and the optimization of ship routes.

The hydrograpiic survey work for the years 2012-13, consists of a 7,100km² segment worth EUR 2.1 million. Data acquisition will be accomplished by Fugro vessels, two of which, M.V. Meridian and M.V. Victor Hensen, have already done survey work on the previous year's allocation of Baltic and Bothnian surveys. With water depths up to 300m, the survey will be undertaken following the Swedish and Finnish adaptation of the IHO Standards for Hydrographic Survey, S-44, namely FSIS-44.