Danish shipping company Norden has begun expanding into the ice-class segment through a long-term contract of affreightment (COA) with Swedish mining company LKAB and the order of two new vessels.
The COA will have a duration of up to 10 years and will cover the transport of bentonite from Greece to northern Sweden.
To support the contract, Norden has ordered two ice-class multipurpose vessels from the Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group in China. Deliveries are scheduled for 2028.
Norden said the new vessels will complement its existing fleet and increase its ability to serve customers requiring reliable transport to ports and regions affected by ice conditions.
Each vessel will have a deadweight of 23,000 and will be equipped with two 80-tonne cranes. Built to Finnish-Swedish Ice Class 1A standards, the vessels will be designed for flexible and fuel-efficient operations across a wide range of cargo types.
The vessels will also be able to operate on biofuel.
In addition to supporting long-term contract execution, the vessels will position Norden to serve a broader range of industrial customers with ice-class transports needs in northern waters, supported by modern and fuel-efficient tonnage.
