Swedish maritime authority plans to order new icebreakers

New icebreakers will ensure shipping in the northern ice-covered waters

According to Swedish government national investments programme the Swedish Maritime Administration may place order for new icebreakers, the Maritime Administration (Sjofartsverket) said it its media release.

The investments plan includes funding of two new icebreakers construction. The shipbuilding project is valued at SEK 3,440 million. Sjofartsverket says the icebreaking fleet may be expanded with the third vessel.

The current icebreaker of the Atle class was built in the 1970s and has neared the end of its cycle. In order for the business community to be able to transport goods to Norrland's ports all year round, a functioning icebreaker is required.

The existing icebreakers can only break a 24-m-wide channel in the ice. All vessels that are wider than that therefore need the assistance of two icebreakers. Future generations of icebreakers should be able to break a channel of up to 32 meters for modern merchant ships.

The design of the next generation icebreakers is already complete. The next step is to start the procurement.