The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA) and the Swedish Maritime Administration (Sjöfartsverket) inked a cooperation agreement for the design of the next generation of icebreakers.
It is reported that the design of the icebreakers will be conducted as a joint project. However, the partners have only discussed about the design of the icebreakers and not about the possible construction of the icebreakers.
The agreement signed applies to the design of two icebreakers for Finland and three for Sweden.
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FTIA commented that the size of the vessels that operate within Finnish and Swedish ports is increasing, while the strict environmental requirements reduce the engine power of merchant ships which impacts the ships’ ability to move through the ice.
Kari Wihlman, Director General of the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency commented that
Safeguarding the service level of winter navigation requires the development of the current icebreaker fleet. The cooperation agreement signed with Sweden is a continuation of many years of good cooperation in this field.
In the meantime, Katarina Norén, Director General of the Swedish Maritime Administration, added that their current vessels are at the end of their life cycle, highlighting their need effective icebreakers.
