January 20 launch for mini bulker

Erik Thun’s ice-class 1A mini bulker Ice Crystal will be launched on January 20 at Netherlands shipyard Ferus Smit at Westerbroek.

The second ship in a series of two from a new design that was developed for the Lidkoping-based Swedish shipowner, it is a sister vessel to Snow Crystal, which was delivered in October.

The 100.6-metre LOA Ice Crystal is 15.6 metres longer than Snow Crystal.

Designed to fit into the locks of the Trollhattan Canal with their 13.35-metre beams, the ships have two cargo holds and high deadweights of 5,680 tonnes and 6,550 tonnes respectively.

Accommodating eight crew, they are equipped with a 1,950kW engine that drives a nozzled CP propeller.

They will replace Snowstar and Icestar, which were built at Ferus Smit 20 years ago.