Icebreaking season ended on May 6
The 2025–2026 icebreaking season ended on May 6, when the icebreaker Otso returned as the last icebreaker of the season to its home port at Katajanokka.
The winter began mild, and the icebreaker Voima departed for the Bothnian Bay as the first icebreaker only on December 31. The assignment was exceptional for Voima, as the vessel is more commonly seen operating in the Eastern Gulf of Finland.
However, the rapidly advancing ice winter required swift action. Within two weeks, Arctia mobilized a total of five icebreakers to sea areas, and by February 3 the company’s entire icebreaker fleet was assisting merchant shipping.
“The icebreaking season in the Bothnian Bay was at times challenging due to strong and long-lasting winds. Southwesterly winds compressed the ice against the Finnish coast for extended periods, causing ridging in some areas. Despite the long cold spell in early winter, the overall ice coverage remained at the level of an average winter. Spring began exceptionally early, and the ice melted rapidly. Despite the challenging conditions, the icebreaking season as a whole went extremely well thanks to the professional personnel aboard Arctia’s icebreakers,” says Seppo Eva, Master of the icebreaker Otso.
Eight icebreakers from Arctia and two from Alfons Håkans were in operation. During the season, the icebreakers operated for a total of 868 days and assisted vessels approximately 1,580 times. The icebreakers traveled approximately 66,500 nautical miles. Nearly 96% of vessels reached ports subject to icebreaking assistance restrictions without delay.
Arctia warmly thanks its personnel and partners: the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, the Finnish Meteorological Institute, Traficom, Fintraffic VTS Centres, Finnpilot Pilotage pilots, assisted vessels and their shipping companies, shipbrokers, ports, Swedish icebreakers and the Swedish Maritime Administration (Sjöfartsverket), as well as everyone else who contributed to the successful 2025–2026 icebreaking season.