Finnish icebreaker Fennica in the Bay of Botnia. Photo: Marcusroos / Wikipedia Commons
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Finland has offered the Fennica icebreaker to the United States for sale or lease. The vessel was built in 1993 and has served both Arctic and offshore industrial duties. No agreement has yet been reached.
Negotiations continue between Finnish and U.S. officials. The United States is also in talks to acquire two new icebreakers to be built in Finland. These discussions are separate but concurrent with talks over Fennica.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed in The Hague on Wednesday that he is negotiating the purchase of a used Finnish icebreaker. “We are talking about buying one used icebreaker from Finland,” he told Ilta-Sanomat.
The Fennica, a multifunctional icebreaker, has worked winters in Finland and been leased in summers for offshore oil and gas operations. It previously served in Alaska and has recently operated in Canadian waters. It is based in Kotka alongside its sister ship, the Nordica.
Due to its complex design and capabilities, maintaining Fennica is costly. It was developed as a prototype for future multi-purpose vessels, followed by Nordica in 1994.
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
