Sweden's Stena Bulk has contracted with Hyundai for two 116,000-dwt ice-class tankers.

The two DNV-classed Aframaxes, to be named the Stena Arctica and Stena Antarctica, are due to be delivered in the 2005/06 ice season. Both vessels will be further strengthened to Swedish/Finnish Ice Class 1A and mainly carry Russian export oil cargoes in the Baltic.

Wilhelm Magelssen, DNV Maritime's marketing director describes the newbuildings as among the largest and most powerful ice-strengthened tankers ever to be built.
"Both ships will be able to navigate in 1m thick ice and will have 85% more engine power than ordinary Aframax's," he said.

Earlier this year Stena's sister company Concordia Maritime ordered four 49,000-dwt P MAX product tankers. Croatia's Brodosplit shipyard was tapped for the job, with delivery of the first ship scheduled for 2005.
Jan Koren, business director for tanker ships, said Stena is ordering the high spec, ice-class newbuildings to help meet the growing demand for good tonnage to carry Russia's burgeoning oil exports through the icy waters of the Baltic.
The P MAX double hulls will be further strengthened to DNV enhanced fatigue Class Notation Plus 2, and Swedish/Finnish Ice Class 1B.