Multipurpose icebreaker »Botnia«

摘要

End of April this year saw the deli-very of the multipurpose icebreaker »Botnia«, built by Aker Finnyards in Rauma for the Finnish Maritime Administration, being responsible to break the ice around Finland in wintertime to guarantee shipping to all harbours. For the open water period the vessel is lea-sed by Norwegian DSND (former Ugland Offshore) and used as a subsea intervention vessel. For the wintertime it will return to Finland and operate as an icebreaker. The newbuilding was christened by Martti Ahtisaari, the President of the Republic of Finland, on 24th April 1998. »For Finland, shipping is a very important industry, that must be protected and where we should fol-low the European development«, said Kyösti Vesterinen, the General Director of the Finnish Maritime Administration on the occasion of the naming ceremony. »A vital part of this industry are icebreakers, an acknowledged part of European infrastructure and our bridge to Europe during the winter: Most of Finland's foreign trade is sea-borne and must be uninterrupted.