Estonia plans to build new 'environmentally friendly' icebreaker with Finland

Estonia plans to build a new icebreaker in collaboration with Finland in the near future. The icebreaker Tarmo will be retired in three years, and a new ship is critically needed.
Currently, Estonia has three vessels with icebreaking capabilities, two of which are nearing the end of their operational life. Tarmo will cease operations in three years due to wear and tear, and repairs are no longer feasible. The new ship will need to meet numerous demands.
"The risks we currently see at sea, related to our maritime infrastructure, create a broader need for enhanced capabilities to conduct various operations at sea. This is not just about icebreaking. We are also talking about deploying different devices, improving our limited oil spill response capability, and supporting naval operations," Minister of Infrastructure Vladimir Svet (SDE) told Tuesday's "Aktuaalne kaamera."
Despite increasingly mild winters, maintaining the three ships costs the state approximately €8 million every year. When ice forms, fuel expenses add approximately €1 million.
The estimated cost of the new icebreaker is €120 million, half of which is expected to come from the European Union's Connecting Europe Facility, and the rest from the state budget. There is currently no contingency plan if the funding application fails.
"Under this program, the construction of new icebreakers and the improvement of existing ones have already been funded in Finland and Sweden. So I am very optimistic about this project — it perfectly fits the criteria for enhancing icebreaking capabilities," said State Fleet Director Andres Laasma.
"Of course, if we do not receive this funding, we will have to consider other options. Building the ship entirely with state funds would be very expensive and quite challenging," Svet admitted.
The new ship must be significantly more environmentally friendly and economical. Tarmo currently consumes an average of two tons of fuel per hour at full power.
"Naturally, we are planning the new ship to run on alternative fuels. Whether it will use methanol or HVO-type fuel will be determined during the design phase. But yes, it will be very environmentally friendly. Whether we can achieve zero emissions with this project remains uncertain, but we are certainly working toward that goal," Laasma said.
The state hopes to clarify the funding situation for the new icebreaker by the end of summer.
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Editor: Merili Nael, Helen Wright
Source: Aktuaalne kaamera