Gulf Of Bothnia News

The Swedish Maritime Administration has purchased the 18-year-old icebreaker Polar Circle, expanding its fleet of icebreaking ships to help keep the nation's ports and shipping lanes clear during the cold winter months.In December, the Swedish Maritime Administration put out a tender to acquire a secondhand icebreaker, with Polar Circle emerging as the most suitable option. The agency recently ran the Polar Circle through trials in the Gulf of Bothnia before committing to purchase the vessel."We are delighted to welcome Polar Circle to our fleet.

Chinese shipyard CIMC Raffles on Wednesday delivered the ConRo ship Baltic Enabler to shipowner Wallenius Sol.The newbuild, together with sister ship Botnia Enabler delivered earlier this year, are considered to be the world’s largest ice-rated ConRo vessels with multi-fuel operation.“It’s fantastic that we can soon put both sister ships in regular traffic. Not only will we have a huge capacity increase on the container and RoRo sides, but we will also take a giant stride toward a future-oriented fleet that will reduce emissions and have a major impact on industry in the Gulf of Bothnia…

Chinese shipyard CIMC Raffles on Friday delivered the world’s largest ice-rated multi-fuel ConRo vessel to Swedish shipowner Wallenius Sol. The first in a two-vessel series, Botnia Enabler is now sailing under the Swedish flag.The 27,000 dwt ship has a length of 242 meters, a beam of 35.2 meters and the highest Finnish-Swedish ice class to cope with the harsh winter conditions in the Gulf of Bothnia. In addition to its classic RoRo function, Botnia Enabler also has a large capacity for containers.“We’re incredibly pleased and proud to welcome Botnia Enabler to our fleet.

Swedish shipping company WALLENIUS SOL said it has added a sixth vessel to its fleet as it expands its service to meet increased demand from several of its customers.The 2001-built vessel, TransFighter, is 179 meters long and features high load capacity as well as the ability to combine container cargo, RoRo and StoRo, WALLENIUS SOL said. It will be deployed in a biweekly service on the Oulu – Kokkola – Antwerp – Zeebrugge leg while also adding Port of Rauma as loading port.“We…

MAN Energy Solutions’ marine liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel-gas-system manufacturer MAN Cryo has inked a deal to supply the LNG fuel-gas supply systems for two icebreaking roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) newbuilds being built at Yantai Raffles shipyard in China for Swedish shipping line Wallenius SOL. MAN Energy Solutions will also supply a pair of 9L28/32DF dual-fuel auxiliary engines to each vessel.Upon construction, the 242-meter vessels will be the largest to ever to meet Finnish/Swedish ice class 1A Super standard…

Damen Oskarshamnsvarvet has signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with Kustbevakningen, the Swedish Coastguard (KBV), for modernization on the vessel KBV 181. The vessel was built as a patrol boat, but will after modification serve as a combination vessel, for both patrol and oil recovery. It is used also by Umeå Marine Forskningscenter (UMF) for research and environmental monitoring in the Gulf of Bothnia.The KBV 181 is scheduled to arrive at Damen’s…

The powerful 36 meter hybrid icebreaker tug Vilja was delivered to her Owner, Port of Luleå, on June 26th, 2019 at Gondan Shipyard in Spain. On July 4th, Vilja arrived in Luleå and the crew was very satisfied with the first sailing experience and tug performance on the journey home. The vessel will soon be used for ice management, firefighting and navigation aids service duties in the Port of Luleå, Sweden and will assist ships and conduct coastal towing in the northern sector of the Gulf of Bothnia.Vilja is a 36 meter TundRA 3600–H, Icebreaking Escort Tug designed by Robert Allan Ltd.

WE Tech Solutions Oy (WE Tech) has been awarded the contract for delivery of an avant-garde Hybrid Electric Propulsion solution to Rauma Marine Construction Oy (RMC).The solution includes Propulsion drives, Energy Storage System (battery banks and DCDC converters), Main Propulsion Switchboards, Shore connection switchgears, Energy Management System and the Propulsion Control System. WE Tech and RMC will together bring Wasaline’s new RoPax ferry to the next level of sustainable shipping. The new ferry is being built by RMC in Rauma Finland and is scheduled for delivery in May 2021.

The  provider of energy-efficient solutions for shipbuilding, WE Tech Solutions has been awarded the contract for delivery of an avant-garde Hybrid Electric Propulsion solution to Rauma Marine Construction (RMC).The solution includes Propulsion drives, Energy Storage System (battery banks and DCDC converters), Main Propulsion Switchboards, Shore connection switchgears, Energy Management System and the Propulsion Control System.WE Tech and RMC will together bring Wasaline’s new RoPax ferry to the next level of sustainable shipping. The new ferry is being built by RMC in Rauma Finland and is scheduled for delivery in May 2021.The Ice Class 1A Super ferry…

Two Swedish shipping companies - Wallenius and Swedish Orient Line (SOL) - have formed a shipowning joint venture that will sail from ports in Sweden and Finland.The company has five ships so far and plans to order four LNG-powered newbuilds to operate ice-class vessels for the forestry product trades in the Gulf of Bothnia and Baltic Sea area.The new Nordic joint venture, named WALLENIUS SOL,  is to strengthen the infrastructure for the needs of Finnish and Swedish industry. The first customers to sign long-term agreements are Stora Enso and Metsä Board.”Together we can offer a strong mix of experience and competence, which can support a growing forest industry”…

The demanding conditions of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia are plain sailing for MS Viikki, the world’s first LNG-fueled bulk carrier. The solution, built around WE Tech’s variable frequency drive technology WE Drive and The Switch direct drive permanent magnet shaft generator, helps the vessel achieve Ice Class 1A propulsion, while still slashing fuel consumption, costs and emissions. It is a game-changer for ice-class operations.Demanding high standardsESL Shipping is…

GONDAN Shipyard in Figueras, at high tide, has launched a new hybrid-powered icebreaking escort tug designed by Robert Allan Ltd for Port of Luleå (Sweden).This is an important step for GONDAN Shipbuilders in unique compact icebreaker development. Designed by Robert Allan Ltd., the new vessel is a TundRA 3600-H class icebreaker tug which reflects the generations of experience in the design of ice-class vessels by Robert Allan Ltd.The new tug is a RAL TundRA 3600-H class icebreaking design fully customized for the Port of Luleå operational requirements. The vessel is designed to perform icebreaking – it is capable of breaking 1 metre of ice at a speed of up to 3 knots- ice management…

The advent of industry wide tightening of allowable sulfur emissions is getting nearer. Suddenly, with the deadline now little more than one year away, the countdown clock will very soon be ticking much louder. Simply stated, the cap on allowable sulfur content in marine fuels, presently at 3.5 percent in many geographical regions, will be reduced to 0.5 percent in January 2020. The 0.1 percent sulfur cap, already in effect since 2015 in coastal Emissions Control Areas (ECAs) in Europe and North America…

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered icebreaker Polaris has left its home base in Helsinki on Tuesday to become the third Finnish icebreaker active in this year’s icebreaking season. The nearly 110-meter-long Polaris is the world’s first LNG powered icebreaker, running on both LNG and marine diesel. The vessel will head to Tahkoluoto, Pori, to bunker LNG before joining fellow icebreakers Kontio and Otso which departed on December 18, 2017 and January 9 respectively. “The crew is very excited to begin icebreaking duty after a long summer and autumn,” said Pasi Järvelin, master of IB Polaris.

MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has confirmed an important order to deliver hatch covers, cranes, deck machinery and steering gear to two new 25,600 dwt dual-fuelled handysize bulk carriers for Finnish owner ESL Shipping. The ice-class vessels are the first to be built to new classification society rules introduced January 2016. The ships have been designed to set new standards in efficiency and environmental performance and introduce liquefied natural gas-powered bulkers to the market. For each vessel MacGregor will deliver three K3030-4 mechanical grab cargo cranes with a safe working load of 30 tonnes at 30m outreach, design and key components package for multi folding-type hatch covers (6+6), electrically-driven Hatlapa deck machinery and Porsgrunn steering gear.

Launching its most northerly Service Point in Tromsø, Norway, ABB Turbocharging reduces customer overhaul turn-around time from as much as one week down to a day. The launch of this Service Point on December 11, 2014 has allowed ABB Turbocharging to further meet customer requirements as it significantly decreases the turn-around time for Original ABB Turbocharging Service in this area, saving time for customers by as much as four days. ABB turbochargers increase power four-fold in gas and diesel engines and substantially reduce emissions. They are critical components in all sea-going vessels with combustion engines. This means that ‘time is money’ when it comes to servicing for operators of merchant ships, offshore vessels and fishing boats.

While the large oceangoing variety of ships garners the lion’s share of attention in regards to Arctic operations, modern offshore vessels that will be required to support potential oil and gas business in the region are equally vital. Viking Supply Ships recently carried out full scale ice trials in the Gulf of Bothnia on the Brage Viking, an 85m long anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) type offshore support vessel delivered  from Zamakona shipyard in Spain two years ago. The AHTS was built to Finnish-Swedish ice class 1A standards and is powered by a pair of MaK 8M32C 4…

TransAtlantic and Stora Enso have signed and started the installation of the first order of a new innovative scrubber that washes out sulphur oxides from ship exhaust gases in a totally closed loop. It has taken years to find a solution that is able to coop with the fresh water and ice conditions in the Bothnia Bay during winter. It has been important to find a solution that not only meets the operation requirements but also high demands on sustainability. A closed loop has been one of the main criteria, which means that removed sulphur stays on board and is delivered ashore for waste extraction. The difficult operational conditions at TransAtlantic´s core markets are for example tough ice conditions and winter climate.

Wärtsilä has been selected as the partner for designing a new ferry as part of the Midway Alignment of the Bothnian Corridor project. The scope of the design work will be both initial and basic design. The ferry is designed for sailing between Vaasa in Finland and Umeå in Sweden across the Gulf of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea. The contract was signed today, August 4. The new vessel is required to be innovative, efficient and environmentally sound. Wärtsilä's solid track record in…

For as long as men have traveled and traded by water-routes, ice has been a nemesis for ships and their hulls. And with good reason since, on average, sea ice covers about 25 million square kilometers (9,652,553 square miles) of the planet—amounting to about two-and-a-half times the area of Canada. To wage ice battle, even in the earliest days of polar exploration, sailors used strengthened ships to ply icy waters. Naturally, these ships were originally wooden and based on existing designs but reinforced…

Maritime traffic in the Arctic is rising dramatically, leading to a greater need for safety and environmental protection. Consequently, as part of the icebreaker Oden’s Artic expedition, the Swedish Maritime Administration is testing a new tracking system for maritime traffic. The World Wildlife Fund, WWF, is also positive to the project. The Arctic is one of the world’s most environmentally sensitive areas, while also being one of the most difficult to protect against accidents. Thus, the need to support the maritime industry is crucial in guaranteeing safety for navigation and the environment. The Swedish Maritime Administration is now testing a new system for monitoring maritime traffic that will improve the potential for sea rescue, icebreaker assistance and environmental protection.

The coast guard vessel (Kustbevakningen Vessel) KBV 033 was handed over to the Swedish Coast Guard with a reflagging ceremony at dock three of the Peene shipyard in Wolgast. A special day for P+S Werften, currently under insolvency administration: Initially the Swedish Coast Guard placed an order for a total of four newly built KBVs in 2008; but in the context of insolvency proceedings, the Peene shipyard could not fulfill the order completely without a new agreement. Two of the coast guard vessels were already delivered in June and July of 2012.

ABB wins USD$130-million HVDC order for subsea power transmission link from Kraftnät Åland AB. The contract requires the supply of a new power transmission link between the Finnish mainland and Åland, an autonomous Finnish province at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea, which presently receives its power through an AC (alternating current) cable from Sweden and local renewable sources. The existing fossil fueled power generation backup facility will be closed down once the new link is in operation. Apart from resolving the supply issue and reducing dependence on fossil fuels, the HVDC Light® link will enhance the contribution of renewables to the grid and help Finland reach its emission reduction targets.