What Crew Members Say About Kontio

On January 22, 2019, at approximately 10:00 a.m., the cargo ship m/v "FWN Solide" (IMO: 9321093) encountered a mishap while navigating the icy waters of the northeast Gulf of Bothnia. The freighter, which was making its way from Rotterdam, collided with the icebreaker "Kontio" as the two vessels engaged in ice channeling operations close to Oulu. Fortunately, the m/v "FWN Solide" only sustained a breach in its bulbous bow, with no serious water ingress or environmental contamination reported, aside from a minor ballast water leak. The icebreaker "Kontio" emerged unscathed and continued its operations without interruption. The cargo vessel successfully docked at Oulu at 10:30 a.m. For more details and visuals, you can refer to the Finnish report here: https://www.raja.fi/tietoa/tiedotteet/1/0/rahtialuksella_ja_jaanmurtajalla_peraanajo_oulussa_76955.

On Saturday, December 29, 2018, Arctia launched its second icebreaker, the Kontio, from the icebreaker base in Helsinki, marking a significant step in the Finnish icebreaking season. This vessel is set to head towards the operational areas near Oulu and Raahe, where it will commence its mission to assist maritime traffic starting Sunday, December 30. The icebreaker Otso, which set out on December 25, is already at work supporting vessels in the Bothnian Bay. Timo Jeskanen, the master of IB Kontio, noted, "Ice coverage is evident in the northernmost regions of the Bothnian Bay, including areas near Oulu. While the current ice situation remains manageable, lower temperatures are on the horizon, which will accelerate ice formation. Some weather forecasts suggest this winter may prove to be colder than usual—a notion that any icebreaker master welcomes."