Frej turns 50 – another state-owned icebreaker marks half a century of service
News 2025-12-17
We are now celebrating the icebreaker Frej, which recently turned 50. Despite five decades of service, she is once again ready to head out for this year’s icebreaking season.
Frej was the second icebreaker built in the Atle class and was delivered to the Swedish Maritime Administration in 1975. Together with her sister ships, she has played a crucial role in keeping shipping routes open and enabling exports and imports during the winter months. Although the vessels are well maintained, the fact that half a century has passed since they left the shipyard in Helsinki is beginning to show.
“The crew does a fantastic job of maintaining the vessel, and Frej is still in excellent condition. At the same time, spare parts are becoming difficult to obtain, and having components custom-made can sometimes be both costly and time-consuming, with long waiting times,” says Captain Rickard Flensburg.
Last Friday, Frej was celebrated with cake and guests from the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, Port of Luleå and Norrbotten Chamber of Commerce. Director-General Erik Eklund and Director of Shipping Management Fredrik Backman were also present to honour the 50-year-old icebreaker and her crew.
“Frej has faithfully served the Swedish Maritime Administration throughout all these years and has managed to avoid any major breakdowns. The Director-General emphasised the tremendous work carried out by the crew and the importance of icebreakers to society. Without icebreaking operations, northern Sweden would come to a standstill during the winter months,” Rickard continues.
A procurement process is currently underway to build a new icebreaker, marking the beginning of the renewal of the icebreaker fleet. Until the new vessel is delivered, however, Frej and the other icebreakers will continue their important work.
“We are ready and waiting to head out. Now we just need the weather to turn colder. At the moment, it is windy and mild, but if a stable high-pressure system develops, we may have to leave the quay between Christmas and New Year or around the turn of the year,” Rickard concludes.
Did you know?
- Frej took part in a research expedition to the Arctic in 2015.
- Frej became an international film star in 1990 when French director Jean Rouch filmed Brise-glace (Icebreaker), which was later screened in cinemas in Stockholm.
