The icebreaker ship Polaris is unique in many ways. It is the first icebreaker in the world capable of running on both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and ultra-low-sulphur diesel. Its total output of about 22 MW also makes it the most powerful icebreaker in Finland, a country that has long been known for its icebreaking expertise.
Polaris began its service at a historical moment. In 2017, Finland celebrated the 100th anniversary of its independence. In recognition of the centenary, Polaris was decorated with the Finland 100 logo. The slogan for Finland’s big year, “Together,” is also an appropriate term to describe the design and construction process of the new icebreaker. The ship is the sum of the efforts of all the people who have contributed to Finland’s world-famous expertise in designing, building and operating heavy icebreakers.
The main purpose of Polaris is icebreaking and assisting other vessels in icy conditions on the Baltic Sea. The ship is also able to perform oil spill response operations, emergency towing and rescue operations on open water all year round.
