Arctic Passion Seminar Program 2026

8:30 Bus transfer from Sokos Hotel Pier 4, Katajanokanlaituri 4, to Aker Arctic
9:00 – 9:30 Registration
Welcome
Mika Hovilainen, CEO, Aker Arctic Technology
Opening remarks
Sakari Puisto, Minister of Economic Affairs, Government of Finland
Overview of past year
Mika Hovilainen, CEO, Aker Arctic Technology
A Canadian Coast Guard perspective on Arctic and Southern waters icebreaking missions
Robert Wight, Deputy Commissioner, Shipbuilding and Materiel, Canadian Coast Guard
10:40 – 11:10 Coffee break
Panel discussion about the future of ICE Pact
Moderator Iro Särkkä, Finnish Institute of International Affairs
Mission-driven design of the new Finnish B+ icebreaker
Lauri Kuuliala, Maritime Specialist, Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency
Introduction of the model test
Riikka Matala, Lead Research Engineer, Team Leader, Ice Performance, Aker Arctic Technology
Ice model test demonstration
12:30 – 13:30 Buffet lunch
To be confirmed later
USCG
Arctic Security Cutter
Rauma Marine Constructions, Bollinger Shipyards, Seaspan Shipyards, Aker Arctic Technology
Finnish Border Guard – ice operations
Ville Puustinen, Liutenant Commander, Chief of Ship Technical Unit, Finnish Border Guard
Security and Resilience in the Baltic Sea: Naval operations in contested environment
Tuomas Tiilikainen, Rear Admiral, Commander of the Finnish Navy
15:00 – 15:30 Coffee break
Ice Load Monitoring & Sensing – Experience from Antarctic ice trials of the RRS Sir David Attenborough
Rob Hindley, Head of Consultancy and Technology Development, Aker Arctic Technology
Beginning of winter navigation in the Baltic Sea
Saara Matala, Assistant Professor, Chalmers University of Technology
16:30 Discussion, end of the day
17:00 Bus transfer to Helsinki Airport and hotel Sokos Hotel Pier 4 (20 min)