Procurement of a new icebreaker

The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency is preparing the procurement of a new Class B+ icebreaker to secure winter navigation in Finnish waters. The replacements to the ageing Finnish icebreaker fleet are crucial for year-round maritime transport, security of supply and business needs.

Justification for the new icebreaker

The new icebreaker will complement the current fleet and replace icebreaker Voima. The goal is to futureproof Finnish icebreaking capacity for winter navigation needs. 
The icebreaker to procure is Class B+, falling between the heavy Class A and medium Class B icebreakers. This decision supports the appropriate overall use of the fleet and meets the requirements of changing and varying winter conditions and the assistance needs of cargo ships.

The newest Finnish icebreaker is the Class A Polaris, completed in 2016.

Design of the future icebreaker

The selected concept emphasises functionality, cost-effectiveness and sufficient performance for the ice and open water conditions typical of Finnish maritime areas. According to the model tests, the performance exceeds expectations and can approach that of legacy Class A icebreakers in conditions considered significant for the design.

The icebreaker’s propulsion system combines traditional direct-drive shafts and rudders with a bow azimuth thruster. This combination supports the manoeuvrability, controllability and ice handling capabilities of the new icebreaker. The upcoming icebreaker is designed for lower emissions and a longer lifecycle than the current fleet, with long-term balance between lifecycle costs and performance.
 
 

 

Project progress and schedule

The concept design phase began in 2025, marking the initial design phase, and over the year proceeded to ice model tests and concept selection as well as preparations for competitive tendering for construction. The procurement decision for the shipyard tendering process is expected to be made in September 2026.
Construction of the new icebreaker is expected to begin in 2027, with completion expected in 2029.

The icebreaker project is linked to the Finnish-Swedish-Estonian WINMOS projects for developing winter navigation and icebreaking capacity in the Baltic Sea. The design phase has fallen under the partly EU CEF funded WINMOS III package. The construction is to be part of the WINMOS IV project that has received a record EUR 42 million in CEF funding.