Adaptive, precise, and safe vessel operations in the world’s most demanding waters.
TS Shipping delivers icebreaking, offshore, and subsea operations using the multipurpose icebreaker MPSV Botnica, supporting energy and critical infrastructure projects in challenging marine conditions. Our ability lies in operating where others cannot – from the Baltic Sea to the Arctic Ocean.
Get in touchServices
We operate in Arctic and Northern European waters, supporting:
• government authorities
• offshore energy projects
• subsea operations
• critical maritime infrastructure
Icebreaking & Ice Management
We provide escort icebreaking and ice management services to ensure safe and continuous navigation.
Availability:
Our icebreaking services for commercial and international projects are available from May to November.
During the winter season (December to April), our multifunctional icebreaker operates under a long-term agreement with the Estonian Transport Administration, delivering icebreaking services on behalf of the Republic of Estonia. This role ensures that key ports and fairways remain accessible and that maritime traffic continues safely throughout the winter.
In addition to traditional icebreaking, we organise vessel traffic and ice escort support as directed by governing authorities to maintain merchant trade flow through seasonal ice conditions.
Offshore Support & Subsea Operations
• Offshore support and logistics
• Ice management for offshore installations
• Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) support and operations
• Commercial diving support
• Subsea equipment handling, installation, and recovery
• Platform and rig equipment storage, handling, and resupply
• Geotechnical drilling support from vessel platform
We serve a broad spectrum of partners in the offshore energy and marine services sector, including:
• offshore energy developers and service contractors
• subsea engineering and inspection companies
• geoscience and survey contractors
• drilling and installation project teams
Our offerings are tailored to support year-round commercial offshore operations, while coordinating with seasonal icebreaking commitments in shared operating areas. This ensures consistent availability and dependable maritime support throughout the project lifecycle.
About us
TS Shipping Ltd. was founded in 2012 and is 100% owned by Port of Tallinn.
Port of Tallinn is the biggest port authority in Estonia, listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange (TSM1T) with 67% of shares owned by the state.
Our purpose
To provide safe, smart, and sustainable access to challenging waters.
We enable our partners to operate with confidence by managing environmental and operational risks, protecting people and assets, and delivering reliable maritime solutions where standard shipping capabilities are not sufficient.
Our vision
To be a trusted Northern maritime partner in ice management and offshore support operations, recognized for operational excellence, strong safety culture, and long-term asset stewardship.
We aim to continuously evolve our capabilities, people, and technology to meet future operational, environmental, and regulatory challenges.
Our strength
Our strength lies in combining proven vessel, experienced crew, and a risk-based operational mindset to ensure safe access and continuity of operations in challenging ice and weather conditions.
Fleet
Equipped with advanced systems and technical features, our vessel provides operational flexibility, safety, and reliability for demanding offshore environments.
MPVS Botnica
Get the Brochure
Key capabilities include:
• PC-4 ice class
• Dynamic Positioning Class 3 (DNV GL DYNPOS AUTRO) for accurate station keeping in subsea and support operations
• High-power crane, 160t, with Active Heave Compensation (AHC) for safe and precise handling of heavy equipment
• A 6.5 m moonpool providing stable access for ROVs, divers, and subsea geotechnical tools
• Helideck – 19.5 m , 11.2 t
• Accomondaton 72 people
Gallery
Quality, health, safety & environmental management (QHSE)
Safety, quality, health, and environmental protection are fundamental to our ice management and offshore ship management services. We operate under a zero-harm philosophy, ensuring that people, assets, and the environment are protected at all times.
Our integrated management system is embedded in daily operations and encompasses vessel management, crew management, technical services, and shore-based support. It is designed to ensure safe, compliant, and efficient operations in demanding and high-risk environments.
Operations comply with all applicable international and flag-state regulations, including the ISM Code, ISPS Code, MLC 2006, Polar Code, IMCA guidelines, and ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 standards.
Performance is continuously monitored through audits, inspections, incident reporting, and management reviews, supporting transparency, accountability, and continual improvement.
Certificates
Projects
TS Shipping Ltd. is a provider of escort icebreaking, ice management and offshore services. TS Shipping was founded in 2012 and is 100% owned by the state-owned company Port of Tallinn – the biggest port authority in Estonia, and one of the biggest Baltic Sea ports.
References
2012
Micoperi (Adriatic Sea)
In 2012, Botnica was chartered by Italian contractor Micoperi to serve as a saturation diving and work-class ROV support vessel on a multi-year subsea project in the Adriatic. The ice-class DP3 ship provided a stable platform for deep diving operations and precise ROV interventions, demonstrating the vessel’s adaptability and safe station-keeping in complex underwater tasks.
2013
NDE Offshore / SeaRenergy / Siemens (North Sea)
In 2013, Botnica supported an offshore wind project in the North Sea, providing air diving, ROV support, and rope-access (“man-riding”) services for a consortium including NDE Offshore and Siemens Wind Power. The vessel’s dynamic positioning allowed it to hold position alongside wind farm structures, enabling safe diver deployment and technician transfers with a high degree of precision.
2014
Karmorneftegaz – JV ExxonMobil & Rosneft (Kara Sea)
In 2014, Botnica was deployed to the Russian Arctic to assist Karmorneftegaz – a joint venture of ExxonMobil and Rosneft – during an exploratory drilling campaign in the Kara Sea. It performed close ice management around the drillship, acted as a walk-to-work accommodation vessel for crew, and supported subsea ROV operations, underscoring Botnica’s capability to operate safely and reliably in harsh polar conditions.
2012–2032
Estonian Transport Agency (Baltic Sea)
Botnica has a long-term contract (2012–2032) to serve as Estonia’s primary escort icebreaker in the Baltic Sea. Each winter the vessel breaks ice and escorts merchant ships through the Gulf of Finland, providing ice surveillance and emergency assistance as needed – a role in which Botnica’s precise handling and robust icebreaking design ensure safe navigation in frozen waters.
2018–2028
Baffinland Iron Mines (Canadian Arctic)
Since 2018, Botnica has been seasonally chartered by Baffinland Iron Mines to support summer iron-ore shipments from Milne Inlet in the high Canadian Arctic. The vessel escorts loaded bulk carriers through ice-choked waters, performs ice management (breaking and clearing pack ice), and stands by for pollution response or emergencies – a mission that Botnica has fulfilled every year with such success that the charter was extended through 2028.
2022
Connecto Eesti/Paldiski LNG (Baltic Sea)
In 2022, Botnica was utilized as an offshore construction support vessel for Estonia’s new Paldiski LNG terminal in the Baltic Sea. The ship assisted with marine spread handling and anchor retrieval during installation of the floating LNG (FSRU) infrastructure – tasks that leveraged Botnica’s powerful winches, deck space, and DP3 accuracy to safely position heavy equipment and anchors with adaptive precision.
2023
Hywind Scotland, Equinor (North Sea)
In mid-2023, Equinor chartered Botnica as a service operation vessel (SOV) for the Hywind Scotland floating wind farm – the world’s first floating offshore wind farm. Botnica provided accommodation for wind technicians and, via a motion-compensated gangway, walk-to-work transfers onto turbines, demonstrating the vessel’s adaptive use in renewables by holding a steady DP position for safe personnel access even in North Sea conditions.
2023–2024
BP Mungo Platform (North Sea)
In late 2023 and again in 2024, BP hired Botnica to support its normally-unmanned Mungo offshore platform in the North Sea. Botnica functioned as a floating accommodation hub and W2W vessel, allowing maintenance crews to live onboard and commute daily to the platform via gangway; the vessel’s precise positioning and safety-focused operations ensured reliable crew transfers and support during these campaigns.
2025
T&T Salvage (Canadian Arctic)
In September 2025, Botnica was mobilized to the Canadian Arctic to assist T&T Salvage in the rescue of the MV Thamesborg, a Dutch cargo ship that ran aground in the Northwest Passage. The icebreaker acted as a salvage support vessel – ready to break ice, tow, or otherwise aid in refloating the stricken ship – providing a secure and powerful presence that enabled salvage teams to work safely and effectively in extreme ice conditions.
2012
Micoperi (Adriatic Sea)
In 2012, Botnica was chartered by Italian contractor Micoperi to serve as a saturation diving and work-class ROV support vessel on a multi-year subsea project in the Adriatic. The ice-class DP3 ship provided a stable platform for deep diving operations and precise ROV interventions, demonstrating the vessel’s adaptability and safe station-keeping in complex underwater tasks.
2013
NDE Offshore / SeaRenergy / Siemens (North Sea)
In 2013, Botnica supported an offshore wind project in the North Sea, providing air diving, ROV support, and rope-access (“man-riding”) services for a consortium including NDE Offshore and Siemens Wind Power. The vessel’s dynamic positioning allowed it to hold position alongside wind farm structures, enabling safe diver deployment and technician transfers with a high degree of precision.
2014
Karmorneftegaz – JV ExxonMobil & Rosneft (Kara Sea)
In 2014, Botnica was deployed to the Russian Arctic to assist Karmorneftegaz – a joint venture of ExxonMobil and Rosneft – during an exploratory drilling campaign in the Kara Sea. It performed close ice management around the drillship, acted as a walk-to-work accommodation vessel for crew, and supported subsea ROV operations, underscoring Botnica’s capability to operate safely and reliably in harsh polar conditions.
2012–2032
Estonian Transport Agency (Baltic Sea)
Botnica has a long-term contract (2012–2032) to serve as Estonia’s primary escort icebreaker in the Baltic Sea. Each winter the vessel breaks ice and escorts merchant ships through the Gulf of Finland, providing ice surveillance and emergency assistance as needed – a role in which Botnica’s precise handling and robust icebreaking design ensure safe navigation in frozen waters.
2018–2028
Baffinland Iron Mines (Canadian Arctic)
Since 2018, Botnica has been seasonally chartered by Baffinland Iron Mines to support summer iron-ore shipments from Milne Inlet in the high Canadian Arctic. The vessel escorts loaded bulk carriers through ice-choked waters, performs ice management (breaking and clearing pack ice), and stands by for pollution response or emergencies – a mission that Botnica has fulfilled every year with such success that the charter was extended through 2028.
2022
Connecto Eesti/Paldiski LNG (Baltic Sea)
In 2022, Botnica was utilized as an offshore construction support vessel for Estonia’s new Paldiski LNG terminal in the Baltic Sea. The ship assisted with marine spread handling and anchor retrieval during installation of the floating LNG (FSRU) infrastructure – tasks that leveraged Botnica’s powerful winches, deck space, and DP3 accuracy to safely position heavy equipment and anchors with adaptive precision.
2023
Hywind Scotland, Equinor (North Sea)
In mid-2023, Equinor chartered Botnica as a service operation vessel (SOV) for the Hywind Scotland floating wind farm – the world’s first floating offshore wind farm. Botnica provided accommodation for wind technicians and, via a motion-compensated gangway, walk-to-work transfers onto turbines, demonstrating the vessel’s adaptive use in renewables by holding a steady DP position for safe personnel access even in North Sea conditions.
2023–2024
BP Mungo Platform (North Sea)
In late 2023 and again in 2024, BP hired Botnica to support its normally-unmanned Mungo offshore platform in the North Sea. Botnica functioned as a floating accommodation hub and W2W vessel, allowing maintenance crews to live onboard and commute daily to the platform via gangway; the vessel’s precise positioning and safety-focused operations ensured reliable crew transfers and support during these campaigns.
2025
T&T Salvage (Canadian Arctic)
In September 2025, Botnica was mobilized to the Canadian Arctic to assist T&T Salvage in the rescue of the MV Thamesborg, a Dutch cargo ship that ran aground in the Northwest Passage. The icebreaker acted as a salvage support vessel – ready to break ice, tow, or otherwise aid in refloating the stricken ship – providing a secure and powerful presence that enabled salvage teams to work safely and effectively in extreme ice conditions.
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Team
Margus Raad
Chief Commercial Officer / Board Member
Aleksander Rabi
Operational and Safety Manager
Viktor Shalai
Technical Manager and Licensed Chief Engineer
Margareth Kimm
Crew Manager