A new Swedish research icebreaker for the future - Swedish polar research secretariat

In January 2024, the Government initiated an inquiry into how Sweden can acquire a new research icebreaker in a cost-effective way. In the 2025 budget, the Government also emphasized that Sweden’s access to a research icebreaker needs to be secured and that the arrangements for this should be examined

A new research icebreaker would provide Swedish researchers with long-term access to advanced research infrastructure for expeditions in the Arctic and Antarctic, and strengthen Sweden’s position as a leading polar research nation. The new research icebreaker is planned for climate-neutral operation and will be able to operate year-round in the polar regions. The vessel will meet future requirements for research, environmental performance, safety, and operational capability.

Why a new research icebreaker is needed

The Swedish research icebreaker Oden has been central to Swedish polar research since 1991 and has contributed to significant scientific progress. At the same time, the vessel is approaching the end of its technical and economic life.

The requirements for safety, work environment, and environmental performance have increased significantly since Oden was built. The vessel's design currently imposes limitations on both research capacity and year-round operations in the most demanding polar regions.

For Sweden to continue contributing unique data to international climate research and global climate models, a modern replacement with higher capacity and lower climate impact is required.

A decision that strengthens Swedish polar research

The new research icebreaker will give Swedish researchers long-term, independent access to a research platform with a very high ice class. This is a prerequisite for Sweden to continue conducting world-class research in the High Arctic and around Antarctica.

The decision also strengthens Sweden's ability to:

conduct research expeditions year-round
collect data on climate change, oceans, ice, and ecosystems
develop international research collaborations
contribute to the knowledge base for global climate models
maintain Swedish expertise in advanced icebreaking and polar logistics

Timeline

September 2025
In the budget bill, the Government emphasized that Sweden’s access to a research icebreaker needs to be secured and that the arrangements for this should be investigated.
2025
Procurement is initiated within the framework of preparatory measures for possible new procurement.
2024–2025
Documentation, requirements specifications, preparatory work are developed, including a technical requirements specification for a new polar research vessel.
December 2024
The research bill highlighted the need for a heavy polar-class research vessel to secure Sweden's long-term access to the Arctic and strengthen Swedish polar research.
January 2024
The Swedish government announces that it will investigate the issue of a new polar research vessel.
August 2021
The investigation "Stärkt fokus på framtidens forskningsinfrastruktur" strengthened the focus on future polar research infrastructure, highlighting that a new polar research vessel could be a long-term societal investment for Swedish polar research.
November 2020
Sweden's Arctic strategy highlights the need for continued access to heavy polar-class research vessel.

Why renting a vessel is not enough

There is currently a global shortage of heavy polar-class research icebreakers. The ships that do exist are largely tied up in other countries' national programs, and access is uncertain.

Having its own research ship is therefore crucial for Sweden to plan long-term, maintain specialist expertise, and ensure a continued Swedish presence in the polar regions. The decision to acquire a new research icebreaker means that Sweden takes responsibility for its own research infrastructure and its independent access to the Arctic and Antarctic.

What the new research icebreaker will enable

The new research icebreaker is planned for several areas of use and should be able to support:

Year-round research
- The ship should be able to conduct research expeditions in both the Arctic and the Antarctic throughout the year.
Climate-neutral operation
- The goal is a ship with a significantly lower climate impact than today's solutions and with technology adapted to future requirements.
Advanced operations in difficult ice conditions
- High ice class and powerful propulsion should enable operations in very demanding polar environments.
Open-water capability
- DP-2 enables stable, precise positioning, which is important for research operations, logistics, underwater work, and other complex marine operations.
International cooperation
- The ship strengthens Sweden's role as an attractive partner in large international research projects.
Strategically important missions
- The ship's modular design means it can also contribute to other socially important tasks, for example through logistics, underwater infrastructure, and total defence.

Strategic importance for Sweden

The polar regions have gained increased scientific, geostrategic, and security policy importance. A new research ship strengthens Sweden's ability to be present in a region that is becoming increasingly important – both for research, international cooperation, and Swedish ability to act.

The ship will also be important for projects such as Polar Connect, which plans a fibre-optic cable between Europe, North America, and Asia via the Arctic. A research icebreaker with the right capacity can play an important role in such future missions, while the infrastructure can create new opportunities for climate and marine research.

What happens now?

The Government’s investigation into a possible acquisition of a new research icebreaker is ongoing. If a positive decision is taken, the process will move into the next phase, which includes:

continued procurement and implementation processes
determining how the vessel will be financed
further development of technical requirements and solutions
planning for operations, organisation, and research support
continued dialogue with relevant national and international stakeholders

The acquisition will be a long-term effort, but a positive decision would mean that Sweden takes a decisive step toward the future of polar research.

Q&A about the new polar research icebreaker

1. Why is a new polar research icebreaker needed?

Oden has served Swedish polar research very well for a long time, but the ship is approaching the end of its technical and economic lifespan. At the same time, the requirements for safety, work environment, environmental performance, and research capacity have increased. A new ship is needed to ensure that Sweden can continue conducting advanced research in the Arctic and Antarctic.

2. Is it not enough to continue using Oden?

Oden has been upgraded several times, but the basic design currently imposes limitations on future needs. In the long term, a modern solution is needed that better meets today's requirements for climate performance, operational capability, and year-round research in the polar regions.

3. Can't Sweden rent or share ships with other countries?

International cooperation is important and will remain central. At the same time, access to heavy polar-class research icebreakers is very limited globally. Having its own ship gives Sweden a long-term perspective, greater planning certainty, and the continued opportunity to conduct research aligned with Swedish and international priorities.

4. Is it reasonable for Sweden to invest so much in polar research?

Sweden has a strong, long-standing position in polar research and has built up unique expertise, infrastructure, and international collaborations over several decades. A new ship is therefore not about building something completely new, but about securing an already established and internationally appreciated capability in the long term.

5. Why does a decision need to be made now?

The lead times for procuring and building a ship of this type are long. If Sweden is to avoid a future capacity gap when Oden is phased out, the work must be carried out with foresight. An early decision also provides better conditions for planning and cost control.

6. How is the climate impact of a new ship managed?

An important starting point is that a new ship should have a significantly lower environmental and climate impact than older solutions. The ambition is climate-neutral operation, modern propulsion technology, and a design that reduces emissions, noise, and other impacts on sensitive marine environments.

7. How strong is the research argument for a new ship?

It is very strong. Polar research is crucial for understanding climate change, sea-level rise, glacier development, and changes in marine ecosystems. A research vessel with a high ice class is a prerequisite for collecting data in parts of the Arctic and Antarctic that are otherwise very difficult to reach.

8. How is the vessel linked to Sweden's strategic interests?

The polar regions have gained increased scientific, geostrategic, and security policy importance. A new vessel strengthens Sweden's presence, its ability to act, and its opportunities for international cooperation in the region. It can also be strategically important in projects that contribute to broader societal benefit.

9. Can a new vessel have significance outside of research?

Yes. In addition to supporting research, a new vessel can contribute to the supply of expertise, technology development, international partnerships, and, in some cases, other tasks of national importance. This applies, for example, to logistics, underwater infrastructure, and capabilities that may be relevant within total defence.

10. How could a new polar research vessel be financed?

There are various possible financing models. The starting point is that the model chosen should be sustainable in the long term, cost-effective, and provide good conditions for implementation. The documents discuss both government funding and different forms of collaboration.

11. Why do cost assessments differ between different actors?

Costs are affected by several factors, including ship size, ice class, technical solutions, research equipment, procurement model, and market situation. This means that comparisons between different countries and ship projects need to be made with some caution.

12. What is the societal benefit of a new ship?

A new polar research ship can be seen as a long-term investment in knowledge, research, and international collaboration. It can strengthen Sweden's role in the polar regions, contribute to new technologies, support important research and infrastructure projects, and create positive effects on skills, innovation, and business.

Q&A about the icebreaker’s technical requirements

1. What is the new vessel intended to be used for?

The vessel is planned as a heavy polar icebreaking research vessel for year-round research, icebreaking, ice management, escort, and logistics in the Arctic and Antarctic. It should also be usable in open waters worldwide.

2. What type of research should the vessel be able to support?

The requirements specification shows that the vessel should be able to support a wide range of research, including sediment cores, seismic surveys, atmospheric measurements, trawling, ROV and AUV operations, CTD sampling, buoy operations, as well as work with helicopters, drones, and field operations on ice.

3. How strong is the vessel planned to be in ice?

The vessel is planned for high ice class and should be able to operate in very demanding ice conditions. The requirements specification specifies, among other things, continuous operation in thick ice and reinforcement in accordance with the PC2 standard, which means very high capacity in a polar environment.

4. Is the ship designed with climate and environmental considerations in mind?

Yes. The requirements specification states that the ship should be optimised for low environmental impact, with a dual-fuel solution for methanol and diesel, battery storage for emission-free operation in certain situations, and solutions to reduce impact in sensitive polar environments.

5. Should the ship be able to be used in projects beyond research?

Yes. The specification states that the ship should, for example, be able to support fibre-optic cable operations, including laying, maintenance, and repair. This shows that the ship is planned for several socially beneficial uses in addition to research.

6. How long should the ship be able to be out on an expedition?

The ship is designed for long endurance in polar areas, with at least 100 days of endurance in polar operations. This is an important prerequisite for advanced and long-term research expeditions.

7. How many people should be able to be on board?

The requirements specification specifies a capacity of 120 people across 76 cabins. This provides space for crew, researchers, technical staff, and other special personnel needed for larger expeditions.

8. What research facilities are planned on board?

The ship is planned to include, among other things, a moon pool, a wet laboratory, space for container-based laboratories, advanced IT and server infrastructure, acoustic measurement systems, a work deck for research equipment, and areas for sampling and marine operations.

9. Will the ship be able to support aviation and drone operations?

Yes. The requirements specification includes a helideck and hangar for two helicopters, fuel systems for helicopter operations, special areas for drone and balloon operations, and the possibility of integrating atmospheric observation systems.

10. How is the ship's overall design described?

The ship is described as flexible, robust, and research-adapted. It will have a double-hull design, dynamic positioning, powerful propulsion, large cargo and work areas, cranes, A-frames, work boats, and modular solutions that allow it to be adapted to different mission types.

About Swedish marine polar research

The Swedish-led 1980 expedition aboard the icebreaker Ymer around Svalbard was the starting point for modern Arctic marine research.
The icebreaker Oden has been used for polar research since 1991 and was the first research icebreaker to reach the North Pole that same year, together with the German Polarstern. Since then, Oden has returned to the North Pole ten times.
Oden has carried out 26 expeditions to the Arctic and five to the Antarctic between 1991 and 2025.
She is one of the few research icebreakers capable of navigating the difficult-to-access multi-year ice found in the High Arctic and around Antarctica.
Swedish research has had great international success with the icebreaker Oden as a research platform. Many expeditions are carried out in collaboration with different nations or organisations, which increases researchers' contact areas and opportunities for collaboration. Joint research expeditions have been carried out with the USA, Canada, and Germany, for example.
For example, Oden was part of the Arctic Coring Expedition (ACEX) in 2004, an Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) project. Articles from the expedition, in which Swedish researchers participated, have generated more than 8,600 citations (as of January 2020).
Sweden has world-leading expertise in icebreaking and "ice management" for conducting advanced missions in the Arctic and Antarctica.
Between 2005 and 2011, Oden worked in Antarctica as part of a Swedish-American research collaboration. At that time, Oden developed a significantly more efficient method for breaking the ice channel to the US research station McMurdo.
Oden's expedition activities have greatly contributed to the understanding we now have of the development of the globe and the variation of the climate throughout history.