Finland’s state-owned Arctia has signed a charter agreement for the operation of the ILS-designed multipurpose icebreaker Nordica in the Canadian Arctic. Under the agreement, Nordica will provide icebreaking, assistance and ice management services for the Canadian Coast Guard during the remainder of 2026. The agreement is initially for one year and includes an option for extension.
Built in 1994, Nordica is a multipurpose icebreaker and sister vessel to Fennica. Both vessels are based on the multipurpose icebreaker concept developed by ILS (then Insinööritoimisto Lehtonen & Siirilä Oy), combining powerful icebreaking capability, excellent open-water performance and versatility for a wide range of offshore and Arctic operations.
Nordica’s new assignment continues a long tradition of ILS-designed vessels operating in the Canadian Arctic. In addition to Fennica and Nordica, Botnica has operated in the region, including assisting Baffinland’s iron ore shipments and performing ice management and emergency response duties. Since 2018, the Canadian Coast Guard has also operated three Tor Viking-class multipurpose icebreakers, whose icebreaking capabilities were designed and optimized by ILS.
In Canada, Nordica will be operated by Qikiqtaaluk Horizon Arctic Services (QHAS), a joint venture between Inuit-owned Qikiqtaaluk Corporation and Horizon Naval Engineering. The partnership brings together local Inuit expertise and maritime industry know-how for operations in Canadian Arctic waters.
Nordica’s new assignment demonstrates that Finnish engineering expertise developed more than 30 years ago remains competitive in some of the world’s most demanding Arctic operating environments.
