Icebreakers News

The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA) has chosen Aker Arctic to design a Baltic Sea assistance icebreaker as part of the Winter Navigation Motorways of the Sea III (WINMOS III) project co-financed by the European Union.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…

The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) has launched Japan’s first Arctic research vessel, named Mirai II.The construction of the Mirai II vessel began in 2021, at Japan Marine United Corporation’s shipyard.The vessel is 128 meters long, with the with of 23 meters, and draft spanning 8 meters.The vessel’s tonnage stands at 13,000 tons, and is said to be capable of continuously breaking 1.2m of flat one-year ice at a ship speed of 3.0kt.Mirai II will be capable of accommodating 97 people on board…

German naval conglomerate Thyssenkrupp and Finland-based consulting and engineering company Elomatic have signed a design and engineering contract to support the development of a new Polarstern ship, bound to become the largest and most advanced research and polar logistics icebreaker.The ship will be built at the large and modern shipyard of tkMS in Wismar. The shipyard has a remarkable track record in developing complex icebreaking ships, with more than 120 ships built for polar regions.In December 2024…

Turkish shipbuilder Sanmar has delivered a new Ice-Class tug to Finland-based operator Alfons Håkans to work in the waters of the northern Baltic Sea.Named AJAX by its new owner, the tug is based on the TundRA 2600 design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan and has been uniquely designed to meet the operator’s individual needs.Measuring 25.8 m LOA with a moulded beam of 11.8 m, least moulded depth of 5.2 m and navigational draft of 5.05 m, AJAX can perform multiple tasks including escort…

Finland will replace one of its eight existing icebreakers with a new vessel to secure open routes in the Baltic Sea year round, the Finnish government said on Monday.The announcement followed the signing of an "ICE Pact" last month, a deal between the United States, Canada and Finland to jointly advance their Arctic and polar icebreaker development in order to counter Russia and China in increasingly strategic polar regions.Navigable maritime routes are crucial for Finland's foreign trade, with statistics showing some 96% of its imports and exports being shipped via the Baltic Sea, the security of which is also a growing concern for NATO."The acquisition of 'Aino' is the first step towards a major renewal program for our icebreakers…

The Canadian Coast Guard has called off a search for a crewmember believed to have gone overboard from one of its icebreaker vessels off Newfoundland's northeast coast. The CCGS Vincent Massey crewmember, who was reportedly last seen aboard the ship on Sunday evening, was reported missing at 8:15 a.m. on Monday when the vessel arrived in St. John's.An "extensive" search involving Canadian Coast Guard vessels, aircraft and vessels from other federal sources was launched but proved unsuccessful.

Seaspan on Thursday announced its Vancouver Drydock has completed a Vessel Life Extension (VLE) program for the 38-year-old Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker vessel CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier. After undocking at the end of April 2024, the vessel completed an in-water work period in preparation for ship commissioning and sea trials, finally departing Seaspan on August 17, 2024.According to Seaspan, the ship repair and overhaul project was the largest and most complex ever undertaken at Vancouver Drydock.The entire project consisted of more than100 separate upgrades including…

Canada’s Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Diane Lebouthillier, has released the names of the Canadian Coast Guard’s two future Polar Icebreakers: the CCGS Arpatuuq and CCGS Imnaryuaq.The vessels’ names were chosen in collaboration with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami for their cultural significance to Inuit. The CCGS Arpatuuq references Akpatok Island, an uninhabited island in Nunavik, on the northern coast of Quebec. The island is an important geographical landmark in Ungava Bay that has been used by Inuit of Nunavik for centuries.

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) has returned to Seattle following an onboard fire that occurred during a scientific research expedition in the Arctic Ocean. The incident took place on July 25, 2024, while the vessel was navigating near Banks Island in the Northwest Territories of Canada.The fire, which broke out in an electrical transformer affecting one of the ship’s two main propulsion motors, was quickly extinguished by the crew. No injuries were reported. Following the incident, the crew and contractors worked to restore power to the affected motor.

Canada's largest shipbuilder, Davie, on Monday announced it will establish a shipbuilding presence in the United States.The Quebec-headquartered company's investment in a U.S. shipyard remains subject to final site and partner selection, Davie said in a statement.The move coincides with actions announced by the U.S. government to boost the competitiveness of the U.S. shipbuilding and maritime industries, and aligns with the ICE Pact, a collaboration between the U.S., Canada and Finland announced on July 11 to enhance the production of much-needed polar icebreakers."The cat is out the bag.

The U.S., Canada and Finland will form a consortium to build icebreaker ships, a senior U.S. administration official said, a move intended to bolster the allies' shipbuilding and counter Russia and China in increasingly strategic polar regions.The initiative, called the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort or ICE pact, is being unveiled on Thursday on the sidelines of a three-day NATO summit in Washington, where the alliance has called on China to end its support for Moscow's war against…

The U.S House of Representatives on Wednesday passed an amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill that would move funds from the Office of the Secretary of Homeland Security to the U.S. Coast Guard for the procurement of an already authorized Great Lakes icebreaker (GLIB).The GLIB is needed to maintain winter deliveries of raw materials to the U.S. steel manufacturing industry (supporting nationwide automobile and appliance manufacturing) and respond to winter flooding of Great Lakes coastal communities.The amendment was submitted by Representative John James (MI-10)…

Russia is pushing back the commissioning of its planned 120 megawatt (MW) icebreakers, according to media reports.First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov said the lead nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 10510 Leader series, Rossiya, is scheduled to be comissioned in 2030, three years later than originally planned, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported. Construction has been underway at the Zvezda shipbuilding complex in the Russian Far East since 2020…

Finnish technology group Wärtsilä reports it will supply the engines for a new Canadian Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker being designed and built at Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards.The 158 meter-long multi-mission Polar Icebreaker will operate under PC2 conditions with four 16-cylinder and two 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 31 engines, delivering 47 MW of power. The engines will be fitted with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems for IMO Tier III environmental compliance. Wärtsilä will also supply the center shaft line with a stainless-steel ice-class propeller…

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.

The Canadian government has awarded a contract to shipbuilder Chantier Davie Canada Inc. of Lévis, Quebec, for initial work related to the construction of new Program Icebreakers. Under this $19.6-million contract including taxes, Davie will begin work to develop the initial design.A series of six new Program Icebreakers is planned to replace the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) medium icebreakers that operate in Atlantic Canada and the St. Lawrence waterways during the winter, and in the Arctic during the summer.This contract enables the shipyard to initiate project planning phases…

The Canadian government on Tuesday announced it has awarded a pair of contracts to Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards Co. Ltd. (VSY) to initiate the next stages of procuring the first flight of Multi-Purpose Vessels (MPV) for the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG).These contracts, which are worth $490.6 million combined (taxes included), following completion of the vessel’s basic design review in late 2023 and allow VSY to undertake pre-construction work, such as selecting specific pieces of equipment…

Seaspan Shipyards announced it has completed construction of the ‘Prototype Block’ for the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) Polar Icebreaker program. Construction of this Prototype Block ensures that Seaspan has the proper processes, procedures, equipment and skills necessary to build the first heavy Polar Icebreaker in Canada in more than 60 years.Seaspan said it developed and built the Prototype Block to ensure that its production teams are fully prepared to cut steel on the Polar Icebreaker in late 2024.

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management (Arcline), announced it has been awarded a purchase order to provide motor-operated valves (MOVs) through Hunt Valve for the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) Polar Sentinel (WMSP-21). The cutter is the first of three multi-mission vessels that will comprise the Polar Security Cutter program, which is intended to supplement the USCG’s missions in the Arctic as well as Operation Deep Freeze in the Antarctic.“Every ship has a crucial role to play in advancing American interests at sea…

Aker Arctic, a Finnish engineering company specializing in the development of ice-going vessels, on Thursday announced it has appointed Mika Hovilainen as interim managing director and CEO following the departure of longtime CEO Reko-Antti Suojanen.Suojanen, who spent 19 years at Aker Arctic, including 10 as CEO, announced in December he would depart the company to explore new opportunities elsewhere.“I will pass the helm to Mika Hovilainen with good confidence. Mika has been working for a long time at Aker Arctic and has been leading our Ship Design activities…

Canadian shipbuilder Seaspan Shipyards has awarded ABB a contract to deliver an integrated propulsion system for the first of the Canadian Coast Guard’s (CCG) new-generation polar class icebreakers.The first vessel of its kind to be built in Canada in over 60 years, the vessel is expected to be one of the world’s largest and most powerful diesel-electric icebreaker when it enters service in 2030, complying with IACS Polar Class 2 requirements for year-round operations in moderate multi-year ice conditions.

Canada's Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Jean-Yves Duclos, on behalf of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Diane Lebouthillier, announced a contract award following a competitive process, valued at approximately $44 million (including taxes) to Ocean Industries Inc. for the vessel life extension of the CCGS Griffon.Scheduled to take place from June 2025 to October 2026, the vessel life extension work entails refurbishing and repairing the main propulsion motors…

Russia said on Monday that emergency workers had put out a fire on a Soviet-era nuclear-powered cargo-icebreaker ship and the state company which runs the vessel said there had been no casualties and no threat to the security of the reactor.The fire broke out on Sunday in one of the cabins of the Soviet-made Sevmorput ship, which is currently at dock in the northern Russian city of Murmansk, the emergency ministry said.The fire, which at its peak covered an area of about 30 square meters (323 square feet)…