Finnish icebreaker to offer Arctic floating tours in Svalbard this summer

The city-owned Icebreaking Company of Kemi will begin operating tourist cruises in Svalbard this summer using its smaller passenger icebreaker Arktis, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reports. The vessel will not break ice in the ecologically sensitive archipelago but will instead allow passengers to float in the Arctic sea under controlled conditions.

Floating takes place within a specially designed safety frame to ensure passenger security and minimize disturbance to local wildlife, including walruses, seals, whales, and polar bears, according to company spokesperson Elina Viitanen. A Finnish specialty on board will be the opportunity to use Arktis’s onboard sauna.

The cruises will not make landfall. The ship departs from and returns to its docked berth without disembarking passengers, adhering to Svalbard’s strict environmental regulations. The region is among the world’s most tightly controlled Arctic tourism and maritime areas, with operational permits granted only after rigorous assessments of safety, environmental impact, and compliance with Norwegian authorities’ rules.

Icebreaking Company spent nearly three years securing the one-year permit, which includes an option for renewal. The approval process required detailed evaluations of the company’s operational capabilities and a commitment to Svalbard’s environmental principles.