Finland, Sweden boost cooperation on icebreaker purchase

Finland and Sweden will strengthen their cooperation in renewing their icebreaker fleets and ensuring operational coordination, said the Ministry of Transport and Communications in a press release on Friday.

Sweden took a formal decision on Thursday on establishing an icebreaker cooperation group between the Swedish Maritime Administration and the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency.

Finland was already prepared to make a similar decision, and the Ministry of Transport and Communications will now immediately commission the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency to set up a working group.

Earlier in September 2024, the governments of Finland and Sweden at a meeting decided to strengthen cooperation met in in renewing their icebreaker fleets.

“Icebreaking services are part of our critical infrastructure ensuring year-round maritime transport connections in all circumstances. Renewal of the icebreaker fleet is topical both in Finland and Sweden. We have worked closely with Sweden in the field of winter navigation for a long time, and its importance is highlighted especially in today's global situation”, said Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne.

The working group will be tasked with preparing a shared view of the competent authorities on the matter, including a long-term vision of the icebreaking capacity required by Finland and Sweden for ensuring that traffic to their ports, both in the short and long term.

The working group will also review the bilateral agreement between Finland and Sweden on the joint organisation and cooperation of winter navigation services and assess the need to revise the ice classification standards of merchant fleet vessels operating in Finnish and Swedish ports.

In addition, the group will assess the preconditions for the Finnish and Swedish authorities to jointly procure icebreaking services. It will identify its impacts and, where possible, develop a concept for carrying out such a procurement process.

The working group will also examine further ways of developing and intensifying cooperation between the countries in icebreaking services.

The group is to complete its final report by 30 June 2026.