As President Donald Trump continues to insist that the US needs to own Greenland, his wider focus on the Arctic region has seen Washington order new icebreakers. For these ships, which can sail through seas covered in solid ice, the US has gone to the world expert – Finland.
Temperatures are sub-zero inside Aker Arctic Technology's ice laboratory, as the scale model of an icebreaker cruises down a 70m-long simulation tank. It ploughs a neat channel through the frozen surface of the water. Undergoing testing at a facility in Helsinki, Finland's capital, this is a design for the next generation of the country's icebreakers.
It's crucial that it has sufficient structural strength and engine power, says ice performance engineer, Riikka Matala. Mika Hovilainen, the firm's chief executive, adds that the shape of the vessel is also crucial. You have to have a hull form that breaks ice by bending it downwards, he says. It's not cutting, it's not slicing.
Finland is the undisputed world leader when it comes to icebreakers. Finnish companies have designed 80% of all those currently in operation, and 60% were built at shipyards in Finland. The country leads the way out of necessity, explains Maunu Visuri, president and chief executive of Finnish state-owned company Artica, which operates a fleet of eight icebreakers.
Finland is the only country in the world where all the harbours may freeze during wintertime, he says, adding that 97% of all goods to the country are imported by sea. During the coldest months, icebreakers keep Finland's ports open, and work as pathfinders for big cargo ships. It's really a necessity for Finland. We say that Finland is an island.
It was this expertise that saw Trump announce in October that the US planned to order four icebreakers from Finland for the US Coast Guard. A further seven of the vessels, which the US is calling Arctic Security Cutters, are to be built in the US, using Finnish designs and expertise. Trump stated, We're buying the finest icebreakers in the world, and Finland is known for making them.
Under US law, the country's naval and coastguard ships must be domestically built, but the president waived that requirement on national security grounds, citing aggressive military posturing, and economic encroachment by foreign adversaries, specifically indicating Russia and China.
Climate change has made the Arctic Ocean more navigable for cargo ships, particularly as icebreakers pave the way. This opens up new commercial trade routes from Asia to Europe, either above Russia or through the waters from Alaska and Canada's mainland.
There’s simply a lot more traffic in that part of the world now. Peter Rybski, a retired US Navy officer and Arctic expert, notes how there’s an active oil and gas extraction industry in Russia alongside an emerging trans-shipment route from Europe to Asia.
Following Trump's outline announcement, contracts were awarded on December 29 for two icebreakers to be built by Finland's Rauma Marine Constructions. The first ship is expected to be completed in 2028, with four more constructed in Louisiana and all integrating Finnish technology.
This US order is also part of a larger effort to catch up with Russia's icebreaker fleet, which currently includes around 40 vessels, eight of which are nuclear-powered. The US, in comparison, has only three operational icebreakers and China operates around five polar-capable vessels.
Finland’s superiority in icebreaker technology stems from over 100 years of experience and a specific need dictated by its cold climate. In these times of changing geopolitical dynamics, the expertise and rapid production capabilities of Finnish shipyards position them prominently in the global market for icebreakers and tension management in the Arctic.
Temperatures are sub-zero inside Aker Arctic Technology's ice laboratory, as the scale model of an icebreaker cruises down a 70m-long simulation tank. It ploughs a neat channel through the frozen surface of the water. Undergoing testing at a facility in Helsinki, Finland's capital, this is a design for the next generation of the country's icebreakers.
It's crucial that it has sufficient structural strength and engine power, says ice performance engineer, Riikka Matala. Mika Hovilainen, the firm's chief executive, adds that the shape of the vessel is also crucial. You have to have a hull form that breaks ice by bending it downwards, he says. It's not cutting, it's not slicing.
Finland is the undisputed world leader when it comes to icebreakers. Finnish companies have designed 80% of all those currently in operation, and 60% were built at shipyards in Finland. The country leads the way out of necessity, explains Maunu Visuri, president and chief executive of Finnish state-owned company Artica, which operates a fleet of eight icebreakers.
Finland is the only country in the world where all the harbours may freeze during wintertime, he says, adding that 97% of all goods to the country are imported by sea. During the coldest months, icebreakers keep Finland's ports open, and work as pathfinders for big cargo ships. It's really a necessity for Finland. We say that Finland is an island.
It was this expertise that saw Trump announce in October that the US planned to order four icebreakers from Finland for the US Coast Guard. A further seven of the vessels, which the US is calling Arctic Security Cutters, are to be built in the US, using Finnish designs and expertise. Trump stated, We're buying the finest icebreakers in the world, and Finland is known for making them.
Under US law, the country's naval and coastguard ships must be domestically built, but the president waived that requirement on national security grounds, citing aggressive military posturing, and economic encroachment by foreign adversaries, specifically indicating Russia and China.
Climate change has made the Arctic Ocean more navigable for cargo ships, particularly as icebreakers pave the way. This opens up new commercial trade routes from Asia to Europe, either above Russia or through the waters from Alaska and Canada's mainland.
There’s simply a lot more traffic in that part of the world now. Peter Rybski, a retired US Navy officer and Arctic expert, notes how there’s an active oil and gas extraction industry in Russia alongside an emerging trans-shipment route from Europe to Asia.
Following Trump's outline announcement, contracts were awarded on December 29 for two icebreakers to be built by Finland's Rauma Marine Constructions. The first ship is expected to be completed in 2028, with four more constructed in Louisiana and all integrating Finnish technology.
This US order is also part of a larger effort to catch up with Russia's icebreaker fleet, which currently includes around 40 vessels, eight of which are nuclear-powered. The US, in comparison, has only three operational icebreakers and China operates around five polar-capable vessels.
Finland’s superiority in icebreaker technology stems from over 100 years of experience and a specific need dictated by its cold climate. In these times of changing geopolitical dynamics, the expertise and rapid production capabilities of Finnish shipyards position them prominently in the global market for icebreakers and tension management in the Arctic.
