Aker Arctic says the 12th Arctic Passion Seminar was held in Helsinki, Finland, on 2 March 2017. Almost a hundred Arctic specialists and other professionals from the shipping, shipbuilding and other related industries from around the world participated in Aker Arctic's annual customer seminar.
The opening speech on Finland's chairmanship of the Arctic Council in 2017-2019 was given by Mr Aleksi Härkönen, the Ambassador for Arctic Affairs from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. Our other guest speakers included Professor Gary Marquis, Dean of the Aalto University School of Engineering; Tero Vauraste, CEO, Arctia Ltd.; Mikhail Grigoryev, Director, GECON; Nicolas Dubreuil, Director of Expecition Cruises, and Etienne Garcia, Captain, Compagnie du Ponant; Ari Viinikkala, Deputy Managing Director, TEVO; Alexander Ilyintsev, Deputy Director General, JSC Shiprepairing Center Zvyozdochka; Evan Martin, President, Aker Arctic Canada Inc.; Li Tao, Managing Director of Business & Marketing Department, Guangzhou Shipyard International Co., Ltd.; Dirk Verhoeven, COO, ZPMC-RED BOX Energy Services; Mikhail Belkin, Assistant to Director General, ROSATOMFLOT; and Tomas Årnell, Head of Icebreaking Department, Swedish Maritime Administration. In addition, presentations were given by Reko-Antti Suojanen, CEO and Managing Director; Kari Laukia, Director, Ship Design and Engineering; and Ilkka Saisto, Team Leader, Hull Design and Hydrodynamics from Aker Arctic Technology Inc.
During the Arctic Passion Seminar, Aker Arctic and Aalto University signed a co-operation agreement for the joint use of ice tanks for model testing and research purposes (pictured). The combination of two ice laboratories – Aker Arctic’s 75 m long and 8 m wide basin and Aalto University’s unique 40-by-40 m square tank – results in improved capabilities particularly for maneuvering and other operative icebreaking model tests. The co-operation also gives new possibilities for research activities in ice technology.
In addition to seminar presentations, one of the highlights of the Arctic Passion Seminar has always been the demonstration ice model test. This year, we demonstrated the ability of a modern icebreaking vessel to penetrate pressure ridges either in ahead direction using conventional ramming and backing method, or astern utilizing the flushing effect of the azimuth propulsion units. The ice ridges in the model test basin were produced by a method that mimics the natural process of ridge formation, resulting in a realistic triangular cross-section.