Finland and Sweden sign procurement contract for the design of the next generation icebreakers on 3rd November
The winner of the joint procurement for design of the icebreakers is Aker Arctic Technology Inc from Finland. This extensive design project is worth EUR 3–4 million, and the work will be completed by the end of 2021. No decision has been made yet on the construction of icebreakers, the company said in its release.
Icebreaking is essential to ensure transports to northern Sweden and Finland during wintertime. Cargo ships need aid and a clear path to be able to pick up and collect goods from the critical industries. There are five active icebreakers in Sweden and nine in Finland. The fleet is ageing and therefore new icebreakers need to be built in order to keep the trade ongoing.
This joint procurement is a continuation of an extensive and close cooperation between Finland and Sweden. In the process to design the new generation of icebreakers, the emphasis is to find solutions to maintain the service level as the operating environment changes. The size of merchant vessels entering Finnish and Swedish ports is growing, and increasing environmental requirements gradually limit the engine power of the vessels. The growing size of the vessels that need assistance and the weakening of their abilities to handle ice-covered waters make it difficult for vessels to pass through ice masses in challenging ice conditions in the Baltic Sea, which increases the need for icebreaker assistance.
The design process starts with research and evaluation on alternative icebreaker concepts. The new icebreaker is required to be able to assist ships with 32 m beam. Cost-effective operation, low life-cycle costs, the transition to fossil-free fuel by 2030 and the reduction of CO2 emissions are also important goals.
The joint procurement, which has been prepared for six months, attracted interest in the sector. The pre-qualification requirements for the two-staged tendering process (negotiated procedure with prior publication) were met by three tenderers, and at the final stage of the tendering process, one tender was received.
A concept will be selected in March when the first cost estimate for the construction of the icebreaker is available. After this, the focus will be on the design details and construction specification, which will form the basis of the shipyard tendering process once a decision to build the icebreakers is made.
