An icebreaker now under construction and commissioned by the Finnish Transport Agency will be sold to Arctia Icebreaking Oy. The Government agreed the sale on 5 March. Arctia Icebreaking Oy is a subsidiary of Arctia Shipping Oy.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Policy outlined on 25 November 2014 that the Ministry of Transport and Communications is to begin preparations for the selling of the icebreaker commissioned for the Finnish Transport Agency. Icebreaker ownership is not part of the agency's main responsibilities that relate to securing prerequisites of winter navigation by purchased icebreaking services. The State already provides icebreaking services through its company Arctia Shipping. The new icebreaker will be a supplement to Arctia's fleet.
The icebreaker will be sold at its market value, which will be determined with the help of two independent expert statements.
The Transport Agency was granted an authority of EUR 128 million in 2013 for a procurement of an icebreaker. The procurement has been granted EU TEN-T support of EUR 24 million as part of the WINMOS project coordinated by Sweden.
Ownership of the icebreaker will transfer to Arctia Icebreaking Oy only after the delivery and approval in accordance with the construction agreement have been completed. The delivery date in the construction agreement is 11 January 2016.
Minister Risikko: Icebreaking services in the Baltic Sea will be ensured
"The primary goal of the State is to ensure cost-effective transport services in the Baltic Sea for business and industry. The agreement to be made with Arctia Icebreaking Oy is meant to include an obligation to have the new icebreaker available for tendering procedures for Baltic Sea icebreaking services until the end of 2020", says Minister of Transport and Local Government Paula Risikko.
"It is sensible that icebreaker ownership is concentrated in a state-owned company that already provides icebreaking services. The Transport Agency will for its part invite tenders for icebreaking service agreements within the budget limits and ensure cost-effective services", says Risikko.
"I encourage Arctia Shipping to think about prioritising its operations and considering the possibility to withdraw from port icebreaking operations altogether", she says.
Further information: Silja Ruokola, Senior Government Adviser, tel. +358 295 34 2367
