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By Henrik Segercrantz The Finnish economy has developed very well over the recent years. The three percent annual GDP growth that this Nordic country has experienced over the last few years is a good achievement, when compared to the figures for the euro zone. As a measure of the development of the industry, the OMX Helsinki stock exchange index has strengthened by 35 percent in one year, and Finland was last fall, for a third consecutive year, ranked the most competitive economy in the world by the World Economic Forum, with the U.S. ranked second. With a population of some 5.2 million people, Finland has a relatively big maritime industry, and has shown record sales figures and increasing orderbooks during the past year. Both the shipbuilding industry, with the three newbuilding yards of Aker Finnyards, and the offshore construction sector, with Technip Offshore Finland, have recently shown strong performance and have gained a good order backlog. Record orderbooks have been gained also by diesel engine manufacturer Wärtsilä, as well as by ABB for its electric azimuthing Azipod thrusters, alternators and equipment, and a number of other Finland-based internationally operating marine equipment suppliers. Norilskiy Nickel: A Double-acting Arctic Containership An interesting recent newbuild is the Arctic contain- ership for Russian mining company MMC Norilsk Nickel, which just left the Helsinki shipyard. Norilskiy Nickel is intended for transporting nickel from the river port of Dudinka at the Yenisey to the open water port of Murmansk at the Barents Sea in North-western Russia. The containership is fitted with covered cargo holds and also a tween deck to allow a variety kind of return cargoes to be transported, from wheel cargoes, containers and even bulk cargo. The 14,500 dwt vessel has diesel-electric machinery, and is fitted with one 13 MW azimuthing electric Azipod-drive. This will be the first cargo ship newbuilding designed to the double- acting ship principle, to break heavy ice by going astern, a patented solution held by Finnish Aker Arctic Technology Inc. The wheelhouse, with its navigation equipment, supplied by Kelvin Hughes, is thus dou- bled. The ship's Damatic/Valmarin-type machinery control and monitoring system is supplied by L-3 Communications Corporation. The performance of the ship will be followed with keen interest, as several Arctic tankers are under construction and being designed for operation in the Russian Arctic. MMC Norilsk Nickel, the world's largest producer of nickel and palladium and one of the largest producers of plat- inum, intends to expand its own fleet of this type, in order to decrease its sea transportation costs. The com- pany has announced its intentions to build five such vessels, an investment amounting to EUR 450 million, in 2008. Until now, the transportation has been carried out by Murmansk Shipping Company, who also han- dles the expensive icebreaker services in the region. New Ice Model Basin Aker Arctic Technology Inc. (AARC), the predeces- sor of which was the yard-owned Arctic Research Center (MARC), has built a brand new ice model basin in the area of the new big Vuosaari cargo port which is under construction east of Helsinki. The company, owned by Aker Finnyards with minority positions held by Wärtsilä, ABB and Aker Kvaerner Engineering and Technology, was established a year ago to independ- ently offer its Arctic expertise services to clients oper- ating or planning operations of ships or structures in the Arctic. The new ice model basin, 300 ft. x 26.2 ft. Finland Finnish Maritime Industry Shows Strength STRONGER REPAIRS FASTER, EASIER Unique epoxy resin system bonds to almost anything—produces proven, long lasting repairs with outstanding impact strength, tensile strength, and abrasion resistance. • Repairs everything from pinholes and ruptures to complete breaks in pipes, pumps, ducts, tanks, valves, flanges, joints, and machinery casings, including equipment carrying water, low-pressure steam, gases, gasoline, oil, alcohol, and caustics • Bonds tenaciously to most surfaces including steel, plastic, fiberglass composites, ceramic and wood STANDARD RESIN for small holes/cracks (large holes/cracks with reinforcement) RED PUTTY for medium to large holes, cracks and other defects STEEL PUTTY for steel-like repairs on metal— can be drilled, tapped, machined SEALER for small holes and cracks LEVELING COMPOUND for corroded surfaces UNDERWATER PUTTY for repairs in dry, moist, or submerged conditions For detailed literature contact: Ferro Corporation Liquid Coatings and Dispersions Division 1301 N. Flora St., Plymouth, IN 46563 Tel: 574-935-5131 • Fax: 574-935-5278 Circle 220 on Reader Service Card Circle 206 on Reader Service Card Designed by Aker Arctic Technology, assembled in Helsinki with the hull from German Aker Ostsee, Norilskiy Nickel is the first double-acting cargo ves- sel newbuilding for Arctic operation. The ship is fit- ted with two 13 MW Azipod units supplied by ABB. Three 70,000 dwt Arctic tankers have been ordered for transporting oil for a joint venture between Lukoil and ConocoPhillips. The design is done by Aker Arctic Technology together with builder Samsung, and ABB will supply the twin 10 MW Azipod drives. 30 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News MR FEBRUARY2006 #4 (25-32).qxd 2/1/2006 7:44 PM Page 30
