Partnership to develop new icebreaker for Germany's Alfred Wegener Institute

German naval architecture firm Elomatic Maritime Technologies and shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) have entered into a design and engineering contract to support the development of a future icebreaker for German marine research organisation the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI).

The vessel will be named Polarstern 2. It will replace AWI's current polar icebreaker Polarstern in 2030.

Elomatic will provide basic and detail engineering work, as well as providing yard consultancy during the ship construction phase. Construction of the icebreaker will be undertaken at TKMS' facilities in Wismar.

Polarstern 2 will be equipped with a wide portfolio of advanced scientific and logistical equipment, onboard laboratories, a propulsion system that uses green fuels in combination with a large battery pack, and a hull that can break through ice 1.8 metres thick.

AWI awarded TKMS the tender for the Polarstern 2 construction project in December 2024. The construction has a cost of approximately 1.185 billion (US$1.24 billion).