First icebreaker casts off towards the Bay of Bothnia – assistance restrictions for icebreaking apply from Monday, 24 November
Published 21.11.2025 9.07
The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency has imposed the first assistance restrictions for the ports of Tornio, Kemi, and Oulu for winter 2025–2026. The first request for an icebreaker operation has also been made: Zeus of Finland embarks to ensure traffic in the Bothnian Arc this weekend. This means that icebreaking assistance is restricted to vessels of at least Finnish-Swedish ice class II and of at least 2,000 deadweight tonnage. The restriction imposed now will enter into force on 24 November 2025, one month earlier than last winter.
“For now, the ice cover remains thin. We expect the weather to stay cool in the upcoming weeks. As freezing temperatures continue, the ice cover thickens, but as the wind turns south, a brash ice barrier may form in the fairways towards the end of next week. This poses a risk for merchant vessels to get caught in the ice,” says Tuomas Taivi, Maritime Specialist at the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency.
“In early winter, local pilots observe how the ice develops and submit reports to the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency. This kind of teamwork makes winter navigation more cost-effective. The Finnish Meteorological Institute’s forecasting service produces information for monitoring the weather conditions and ice formation. We will boost icebreaking capacity and raise restrictions as necessary,” continues Tuomas Taivi.
Before Alfons Håkans’ Zeus of Finland arrives in the Bay of Bothnia, traffic assistance will be provided by the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s contracted tugs.
This year, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency put the icebreaking agreements out to tender, and new agreements were signed this summer. The new agreements will enable a more flexible departure order for icebreakers, and this will also make the icebreaking services more efficient.
In winter, merchant ships receive restrictions on travel to Finland’s ports through assistance restrictions, which guarantee safe navigation. These restrictions make sure that only vessels of sufficient structural strength sail in the northern Baltic Sea in winter.
In the coming winter, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency will impose assistance restrictions based on ice conditions in ports under the same principles as in previous winters. The applicable restriction policy is shared with Sweden.
Icebreaking ensures the transport of goods in Finland
The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency is responsible for the public office duties and procurement associated with winter navigation, for national coordination and for decision-making on port assistance restrictions. Service providers maintain the icebreaking equipment and provide the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency with icebreaking services to ensure safety and service level for maritime business transports. Since 95% of Finland’s goods are transported by sea, year-round maritime transport is essential.
Cooperation with neighbouring countries is also of great importance: the neighbouring countries have an agreement of joint use of the icebreaker capacity, and seamless cooperation with domestic operators allows for smooth commercial shipping. Finland and Sweden cooperate closely in the Gulf of Bothnia, and our icebreaking fleets operate as a single fleet as needed. This kind of transnational cooperation is globally unique.
According to the service promise of the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, the help of icebreakers is available within approximately four hours. The icebreakers do not only travel along the routes between ports as they also assist countless vessels on the open sea, which usually sees the most challenging and unstable ice conditions. The costs of winter navigation are approximately EUR 80 million per year, as all Finnish ports freeze during normal winters.
Information about assistance and the ice conditions (baltice.org)
More information:
Maritime Transport Specialist Tuomas Taivi, tel. +358 (0)29 534 3328 or [email protected]
