In January 2016, Polaris was floated out from the covered dry dock for the first time. The first sea trials for the ship were arranged on 22 April, 2016.
TOWING DUTIES AND OIL SPILL RESPONSE WORK
The contract to build icebreaker Polaris was signed in February 2014. Shipbuilding work at Arctech Helsinki shipyard in Hietalahti was started in the autumn of 2014.
In January 2016, Polaris was floated out from the covered dry dock for the first time. The first sea trials for the ship were arranged on 22 April, 2016.
In Autumn 2016, Mr. Esko Mustamäki – the CEO for Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Oy – noted that the icebreaker Polaris was already being finalised.
” The concept for the vessel was outlined by the Finnish Transport Agency who ordered the ship. Polaris will operate as
“
It is a so-called multipurpose vessel.
an icebreaker in the Baltic Sea region and will also be the most efficient vessel of the Finnish icebreaker fleet,” Mustamäki says.
More detailed blueprints for the ship were drafted by Aker Arctic Technology Oy together with the Turku-based engineering office ILS Oy.
” Arctech then engaged in further design work and ensured that carrying out the shipbuilding process for such a vessel was possible.”
Mustamäki emphasises that while the ship is essentially intended to be used as an icebreaker, it is a so-called multipurpose vessel.
” The ship can also be utilised as a rescue vessel, a tug, and an oil spill response ship in open-sea conditions. When a ship is built for official duty, it is generally fitted for oil spill response operations.”
For oil destruction, the ship’ s equipment includes brush skimmers and a side-
28 seatec 1 / 2017