Umiak I
Umiak I is a purpose-built ice-strengthened bulk carrier constructed for the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vale, to transport ore from the Voisey's Bay Mine.
Umiak I in Quebec on 4 August 2018 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Umiak I |
| Owner | Fednav Group |
| Operator | Canship Ugland Limited |
| Port of registry | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada |
| Ordered | 27 February 2004 |
| Builder | Universal Shipbuilding Corporation Maizuru Shipyard (Japan) |
| Yard number | 10003 |
| Laid down | 2 August 2005 |
| Launched | 14 November 2005 |
| Completed | 13 April 2006 |
| In service | 2006– |
| Identification |
|
| Status | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Bulk carrier |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 188.8 m (619 ft) |
| Beam | 26.6 m (87 ft) |
| Draught | 11.7 m (38 ft) |
| Depth | 15.7 m (52 ft) |
| Ice class | DNV ICE-15 |
| Installed power | MAN B&W-Hitachi 7S70ME-C (21,770 kW) |
| Propulsion | Single shaft; controllable-pitch propeller with nozzle |
| Speed |
|
| Capacity | Five holds, 40,490 m3 (grain) |
| Notes | Three cranes (1 × 50 tons; 2 × 30 tons) |
According to an article in the April 2006 issue of The Gossan an internal publication of the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company, Umiak I had completed her sea trials in Japan, and her delivery was expected in May 2006. "Umiak is the Inuktitut name for a supply boat or sometimes called a woman's boat, and is a fitting name for a vessel carrying concentrate from Voisey's Bay".
Umiak I makes twelve trips per year, transporting a total of 360,000 tonnes of nickel concentrate, worth $1.5 billion CAD.
Fednav also operated a similar ice-strengthened bulk carrier, Arctic, which shared the load with Umiak I; she was later scrapped in 2021. On 30 October 2012, Fednav announced it had ordered a third icebreaking cargo vessel from Universal Shipbuilding Corporation's Tsu shipyard in Japan. The Polar Class 4 vessel, Nunavik, entered service in January 2014. Another similar vessel, Arvik I, was built in 2021.