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As a result of the good collaboration between Stena Bulk and Concordia Maritime with Finnish Neste Oil as a customer, their tankers have sailed eight times through the North East Passage. Today, the companies together have a total of eight tankers with the right classification for a voyage through the North East Passage. “Like many others, we feel that there could be a commercial break-through in the near future, although there are still a number of challenges to be overcome before this can take place on a large scale”, says Erik Hånell. Know-how and experience There are a limited number of tankers that are equipped to sail through the North East Passage. Operating in extreme Arctic conditions requires know-how and experience. Stena has extensive knowledge of the tough environment in the north and knows how to navigate safely through ice-covered waters. To maintain its leading position in safe transportation at sea, every year the company invests large sums in developing the necessary routines. Well-equipped vessels together with highly experienced crews is the only way to master Arctic conditions. This means that currently, only a relatively limited number of vessels are able to sail through these waters. About the P-MAX tankers The P-MAX tankers were designed and built by Stena and Concordia Maritime. They have a double hull, optimum corrosion control, two engine rooms with full water and fire integrity and two propulsion systems. Manoeuvrability and an integrated bridge layout are also very important when it comes to facilitating safe navigation in narrow channels. The Stena Polaris, which is owned by Concordia Maritime and has been time-chartered by Stena Bulk for this project, has the following technical data: Length: 183 m, beam: 40 m, draft: 11.3 m, deadweight: 65,000 tons. With offices in six countries, Stena Bulk is one of the world’s leading tanker shipping companies. The company controls a combined fleet of around 100 tankers. Stena Bulk is part of the Stena Sphere, which has more than 20,000 employees and sales of SEK 60 billion. Stena Bulk, press release |