New report highlights the need for more Swedish icebreakers
News 2026-07-01
Sweden needs to invest in more icebreakers to safeguard winter shipping and support the growth of industry over the coming decades. This is one of the conclusions of the report that the Swedish Maritime Administration is submitting to the Government today together with the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency.
Every winter, icebreaking is essential for industry in northern Sweden to be able to import raw materials and export its products. A new report now shows that Sweden needs to invest in more icebreakers in order to safeguard this capability in the future.
The Swedish Maritime Administration’s icebreakers are living on borrowed time, as most of them were built in the 1970s. The report describes how today’s icebreakers can gradually be replaced to meet future icebreaking needs. A new large icebreaker is already under construction in South Korea and is expected to be delivered in 2029. In addition to this vessel, the Swedish Maritime Administration believes that at least two more icebreakers should be built to replace the existing A+ icebreaker, as set out in the infrastructure plan. Life-extension measures are also planned for Oden and Idun.
The future size of the icebreaker fleet will depend on several factors. Forecasts indicate a major increase in transport to and from ports in northern Sweden, which will increase the need for icebreaker assistance. Other factors must also be taken into account, including NATO membership, the possible development of offshore wind power in the Bothnian Sea and the Bay of Bothnia, and climate change. As the current icebreaker fleet is ageing, funding for further investments needs to be secured without delay.
Icebreaking is crucial to trade in northern Sweden and therefore to Swedish imports and exports. With the current icebreaker fleet, we cannot guarantee that all ports can remain open throughout the year. We already experience breakdowns of varying severity on our icebreakers every year, says Erik Eklund, Director-General.
Cooperation between the Swedish Maritime Administration and the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency is essential for efficient icebreaking in the Bothnian Sea and the Bay of Bothnia. The authorities now want to further develop this cooperation by modernising the bilateral agreement, further developing shared IT systems and jointly procuring a standby icebreaker resource. This would involve a joint agreement that could be used when either country needs to charter additional icebreakers because ice conditions cannot be managed by the state-owned icebreakers.
We already have very good cooperation with Finland, and this is crucial to ensuring that icebreaking continues to work well in the future. By working together, we can reduce costs and provide better conditions for commercial shipping, says Fredrik Backman, Director of Shipping.
The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency will also submit a report to the Finnish Government, which is expected to take place on 14–15 July.
The report’s conclusions in brief:
- The need for icebreaking will remain beyond 2037 and for many years thereafter. However, the conditions are changing due to NATO membership, an increase in transport to northern Sweden, the possible development of offshore wind power, and climate change.
- The current icebreaker fleet is outdated and in urgent need of replacement.
- From the perspectives of maritime safety, cost efficiency and operations, Sweden and Finland should jointly establish a maximum size for vessels that can be assisted to winter ports under different ice conditions.
- The Government should instruct the Swedish Transport Agency to review TSFS 2011:96 to ensure that the regulations are up to date and meet new regulatory requirements arising in other areas.
- The Government should enable the Swedish Maritime Administration and the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency to carry out a joint procurement of balanced icebreaking resources.
- Cooperation between Sweden and Finland in EU projects relating to winter navigation, such as the WINMOS projects (Winter Motorways of the Sea), should continue.
- The agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden and the Government of the Republic of Finland concerning the joint organisation of and cooperation on services for winter navigation should be reviewed.
- Sweden and Finland should continue to jointly develop IBNet, the shared IT system for icebreaking management, and ensure both its continued development and long-term operation.
- Sweden, through the Swedish Maritime Administration, needs to remain actively involved in international development and cooperation relating to winter navigation and icebreaking. The Swedish Maritime Administration’s expertise and specialist knowledge are central to developments both in the Baltic Sea region and in the Arctic.
Proposed timeline going forward:
- 2026 – Order for one new large ARC130-class icebreaker (construction under way), with delivery in 2029
- 2028 – Order for two new A-class icebreakers, with delivery in 2033 and 2034 respectively
- 2030 – Decommissioning of one Atle-class icebreaker
- 2030 – Possible expansion of the fleet with an additional A-class icebreaker, with delivery in 2034
- 2033 – Life extension of Oden
- 2033 – Start of a project intended to replace Ale (depending on the timetable for the locks in the Trollhätte Canal), with delivery in 2036
- 2034 – Decommissioning of another Atle-class icebreaker
- 2037 – Life extension of Idun
- Beyond the planning period – Decommissioning of the third Atle-class icebreaker
