Aker Arctic Technology Inc Newsletter March 2017

Polaris begins work

The brand new Finnish LNG Polaris began her work in Pasi Järvelin at the bridge in , before departing for January this year. Praised for her powers and environmental solutions, icebreaking duties in the Bay Captain Pasi Järvelin and his crew are now testing her in the heavy ice of Bothnia. conditions in Bay of Bothnia. The first weeks have been successful. Pasi Järvelin, the Captain of the new difference to traditional is highlight my appreciation for Mika Finnish icebreaker Polaris , has worked Polaris' agility. Her rate of turn is more Hovilainen and Esa Hakanen at Aker forty years on the sea, all over the world. than 200° in a minute. I believe the third Arctic as well as Jyrki Lehtonen and He has sailed around the world, spent in the bow will make Polaris the Harri Eronen at ILS, all of whom had several months in Antarctica, worked unchallenged dancer on the ice fields, as significant roles in the successful offshore, steered Nordica through the we say in Finnish.” design,” Järvelin says. Northern Sea Route from Alaska to “The vessel is very pleasant to steer, Europe and managed icebreakers for the but the driver has to pay attention to First weeks of icebreaking past thirty years. sudden moves because she is extremely Polaris is now in Bay of Bothnia for her When the planning of Polaris began in easy to turn around. In ice situations, the first season of icebreaking. This area is 2013, Captain Järvelin joined the bow pod has to keep moving all the the most difficult around in winter concept team in order to give his input time.” due to the combination of freezing on what is needed in a modern Captain Järvelin mentions other temperatures and strong winds. icebreaker. His responsibilities were special features such as quite a sharp Icebreaking and escorting services are icebreaking, cranes, interior design, the bow and the steadiness when steering performed jointly with Sweden and there bridge, dynamic positioning (DP) and oil ahead. “The oil spill response system in are currently five Finnish and Swedish response. case of oil accidents and the 'no icebreakers in the area to ensure safe compromise approach' regarding travels at all times. “The advantage is that I know icebreaking are exceptional features in “The first two weeks have been very this modern icebreaker.” successful,” Järvelin reports from Bay of the ship inside out. I know Polaris is also the first dual-fuelled Bothnia. “We have assisted thirty exactly how she will behave in icebreaker able to use both low-sulphur merchant vessels but only one needed different situations and what marine diesel and LNG as fuel. towing, as the are extremely “Her scheduled life-time is fifty years and efficient. The left pod turns in the she is capable of,” Järvelin LNG is the future,” Järvelin emphasises. counter-clockwise direction and the right says. “Furthermore, we don't discharge any pod in clockwise direction, which means waste or grey water to the sea, not even that the flushing effect keeps most of the Captain Järvelin was also involved full- shower water. Everything is transported ice away from the bulb of the assisted time in writing the specification and to the shore every ten days when part of vessel. We have received plenty of supervising the construction work at the crew is exchanged, the vessel positive feedback from customer ships Helsinki Shipyard together with his refuelled and fresh groceries stocked.” for this feature.” experienced colleagues Björn “Dislodging vessels stuck in ice has Fagerström, Jarmo Paajanen and Juha Successful design been performed with speed and Hiltunen. “I went every day to the Polaris is based on the Aker ARC 130 elegance. Most of the time we have shipyard for two years, which taught me concept developed by in needed only two or three engines, but in a lot about the vessel.” cooperation with ILS and the Finnish a few cases in stormy weather where the Transport Agency. merchant vessel was in hard ice Quick movements “Cooperation with Aker Arctic and ILS pressure, we used all four engines for a Polaris is a powerful icebreaker with a have been excellent during the entire quicker relief. Although winter is only triple azimuth solution: two propulsion project. Suggestions were always beginning, it is already clear that the units in the stern and one in the bow. positively received and changes were vessel specifications will be met,” “From a users perspective, the biggest made swiftly. I would especially like to Järvelin says.

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