” This type of propulsion arrangement is rather unique in ships ,” the CEO for Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Oy , Mr . Esko Mustamäki expects . The Azipod thrusters were manufactured by ABB .
The 110-metre Polaris vessel , prepared at the Helsinki shipyard in Hietalahti , is rather different from her predecessors . New and progressive technologies developed in Finland have been applied to her design and shipbuilding processes .
The ship was baptised on 11 December , 2015 , in the tradional way with a champagne bottle . The name Polaris refers not only to the Polar Star but also to the ship ’ s polar classification that empowers her to even break thick ice with old ice inclusions .
In the assessment of the shipbuilder Arctech Helsinki Shipyard Oy , Polaris is the most environmentally-friendly icebreaker in the world . The ship has been specifi-
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Polaris is rather different from her predecessors .
cally designed for demanding ice-breaking operations in the Baltic Sea . Polaris has 16 members of running crew and 8 other beds .
Polaris is capable of constant seafaring without stopping amidst regular ice of a thickness of 1.6 metres . The vessel can break ice to clear a waterway of a width of 25 metres at a speed of six knots amidst ice of a thickness of 1.2 metres .
The icebreaker can operate independently even in temperatures of – 30 ° C . In Baltic Sea waters , the vessel can reach an average escort speed of 9 to 11 knots . In open water , the vessel has a travelling speed of 17 knots . seatec 1 / 2017 27