Tarmo, Museum ship in Kotka, Finland
Tarmo is a steam-powered icebreaker ship stretching about 67 meters long, equipped with a marine steam engine that powers dual propellers at the bow and stern. Today it sits as a museum ship in port, allowing visitors to step inside and discover how the vessel's machinery, crew quarters, and navigation areas were organized during its working years.
Built in 1907 at Newcastle upon Tyne, this vessel became Finland's third state-owned icebreaker and remained in service through both World Wars. Its long working life spanned from the early industrial era through major global conflicts and into the modern age.
The vessel's name comes from the Finnish word meaning 'strength', capturing the power required to break through thick Baltic ice. Walking through its cabins and engine room, you feel the connection between this symbolic name and the hard work the ship performed.
The Maritime Museum of Finland maintains the vessel as a permanent exhibition that welcomes visitors to explore its interior. Be prepared for narrow staircases and low passages throughout the ship, which makes navigating the decks and engine room a bit of a physical adventure.
During its working years, the vessel assisted somewhere between 350 and 450 ships annually through frozen waters. This remarkable role shows how a single icebreaker became essential to keeping Finland's entire maritime traffic moving during winter months.
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