Finnish Transport Agency’s icebreaker will be sold to Arctia Icebreaking Oy
An icebreaker now under construction and commissioned by the Finnish Transport Agency will be sold to Arctia Icebreaking Oy. The Government agreed the sale on 5 March. Arctia Icebreaking Oy is a subsidiary of Arctia Shipping Oy, Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications said in its press release.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Policy outlined on 25 November 2014 that the Ministry of Transport and Communications is to begin preparations for the selling of the icebreaker commissioned for the Finnish Transport Agency. Icebreaker ownership is not part of the agency's main responsibilities that relate to securing prerequisites of winter navigation by purchased icebreaking services. The State already provides icebreaking services through its company Arctia Shipping. The new icebreaker will be a supplement to Arctia's fleet.
The icebreaker will be sold at its market value, which will be determined with the help of two independent expert statements.
The Transport Agency was granted an authority of EUR 128 million in 2013 for a procurement of an icebreaker. The procurement has been granted EU TEN-T support of EUR 24 million as part of the WINMOS project coordinated by Sweden.
Ownership of the icebreaker will transfer to Arctia Icebreaking Oy only after the delivery and approval in accordance with the construction agreement have been completed. The delivery date in the construction agreement is 11 January 2016.