Danish shipping company NORDEN has ordered two new ice-class multipurpose vessels from China’s Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group as part of a long-term contract with Swedish mining company LKAB.
The contract can run for up to 10 years and covers transport of bentonite from Greece to northern Sweden. The two vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2028 and will support NORDEN’s entry into the ice-class shipping segment.
The ships will each have a capacity of 23,000 deadweight tonnes and will be equipped with two 80-tonne cranes. They will be built to Finnish-Swedish Ice Class 1A standards for operations in northern and ice-prone waters.
Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group, the Chinese yard building the vessels, is part of China State Shipbuilding Corporation. According to NORDEN, the order will expand its ability to serve customers with transport needs in ice-affected regions.
NORDEN said the vessels are designed for flexible and fuel-efficient operations across different cargo types. The company also said they will be able to operate on biofuel.
