Ice Classes and Requirements
Defining ice-strengthening requirements, the Swedish Maritime Administration uses the Finnish-Swedish Ice-Class Designations valid from 2009. The maximum ice-class draught amidships shall normally be taken as the summertime fresh-water load line draught according to Finnish-Swedish Ice-Classes TSFS 2009:111.
The Finnish Transport Agency(FTA) and the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) have developed the Finnish – Swedish ice class rules in co-operation with classification societies. The first version of Guidelines for the Application of Finnish-Swedish Ice Class Rules was puplished 20 December 2005. These guidelines will be updated and complemented as the development of rules continues.
For vessels that according to provisions in TSFS 2011:96 (Finnish-Swedish ice class) are existing vessels and holds ice class IA Super and IA, the older provisions concerning machine effect apply until January 1, 2005 or January 1 the year when 20 years have passed since the vessel was delivered, depending on which falls last.
The vessel's engine power is considered to be the total propulsion machinery power for which the vessel and machinery are designed. If technical means are used to prevent the machinery from being driven with full power, or if this is prohibited according to regulations being followed on board, then the power limited in this manner is considered to be the vessel's engine power.
Finnish-Swedish Ice-Class Designations
| Ice Class | For navigation in | Metres |
| 1A Super | extremely difficult ice-conditions | >1,0 m |
| 1A | difficult ice-conditions | >0,5-1,0 m |
| 1B | moderately difficult ice-conditions | 0,3-0,5 m |
| 1C | easy ice-conditions | 0,15-0,3 m |
| II | very easy ice-conditions | 0,1-0,15 m |
Requirements for ice class and tonnage size
For shipments to northern Sweden the following are the dates on which restrictions for traffic at sea normally come into force:
| At least class/least dwt | The Bay of Bothnia | The Bothnian Sea |
| II/2000 | 1 December | 1 January |
| 1C/2000 | 15 December | 15 January |
| 1B/2000 | 1 January | 1 February |
| 1A/3000 | 15 January | 15 February |
| 1A/4000 | 31 January | - |
| 1A/3000 | 10 April | - |
| 1B/2000 | 10 May | 1 April |
| II/2000 | 15 May | 15 April |
Related links
Last updated 2021-02-25