The Finnish icebreaking service company Arctia’s newest icebreaker, IB Polaris, set out from Katajanokka, Helsinki, for icebreaking duty in the Bothnian Bay and arrived for bunkering at the Skangas LNG terminal in Pori on January 10, 2017.
Polaris is the Finland’s first icebreaker using the cleanest marine fuel – liquefied natural gas (LNG) – as one of its fuels. The use of LNG significantly reduces carbon dioxide as well as other emissions. Polaris is the world’s most environmentally friendly and efficient (22 MW) icebreaker. The vessel received approximately 700 m3 of LNG in a successful bunkering operation.
Polaris is the eighth icebreaker in the current Arctia fleet. The vessel uses the cleanest marine fuel, LNG, and is compliant with the new, stricter emission regulations of Emission Control Areas (ECAs) such as the Baltic Sea. In December 2016, Polaris was ranked third in the list of Great Ships of 2016 by Maritime Reporter and Engineering News, largest audited circulation publication serving the global maritime community.
”Polaris arrived via Utö through the Turku Archipelago to the Skangas LNG terminal in the Tahkoluoto harbor in Pori. The Pori terminal is located by a deep and wide fairway, so it was easy to access and we kept on schedule. At the terminal we stocked up on food provisions and received almost 700 m3 of LNG fuel,” says Polaris Chief Officer Simo Haaslahti from Arctia.
“The bunkering took place safely and efficiently. It’s great to see how professionals take care of bunkering. Our tanks are now full and we can head north for some serious icebreaking action,” says Polaris Chief Engineer Juha Kannisto from Arctia.
”We’re happy that the icebreaker’s now about to set out for icebreaking duties and we’re able to supply her with LNG, a fuel that has excellent environmental properties as its sulfur dioxide, particulate, nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide emissions are very low. Thanks to LNG, the engine exhaust gases also contain hardly any nitrogen oxides, which are particularly harmful as regards issues such as the eutrophication of the Baltic Sea. We want to offer the shipping industry reliable, safe and efficient LNG bunkering. Since its recent opening, our Pori LNG terminal has already been called at for bunkering by vessels including the fast ferry M/S Megastar and the product tanker Ternsund,” says Skangas Sales and Marketing Director Tommy Mattila.
Source & Image credit: Skangas
