ESL ice-strengthened supramax Kumpula has been chartered to Swiss-based Suek AG, one of the largest coal trading companies in the world, for two roundtrips to Asia through the Northeast Passage.
Last Wednesday (Jul 21), the vessel began its first passage to China after loading a full cargo of iron ore concentrate in Murmansk, Northern Russia. Sailing via Northeast Passage cuts passage time to China to about half compared to the traditional route via Suez Canal.
ESL supramax vessels Kumpula and Arkadia have regularly sailed in the Arctic areas, most recently in the Canadian Arctic during the past few years. In 2018, Company’s LNG-powered 25,000 dwt vessels Viikki and Haaga sailed through the Northeast Passage on their first commercial voyages from Japan to Sweden.
Source: ESL Shipping