Fairfield Maritime Japan, Neste Sign Charter Contract for Two Ice Class Tankers

Fairfield Maritime Japan Ltd. (FMJ) signed a long-term charter contract with Neste enabling FMJ to fund and manage the construction of two Ice Class 1A medium range (MR) oil and chemical tankers for Neste's transports to and from its refinery in Porvoo, Finland. 

The two new ships will each have the capacity to ship 50,000 deadweight tons (DWT) and will be built by HD Hyundai Co., Ltd. of South Korea and delivered in the first and second quarters of 2029.

As Ice Class 1A certified ships, the two new vessels will be capable of navigating in ice conditions with the support of icebreakers, adhering to the Finnish Swedish Ice Class Rules. These rules encompass the specific requirements for vessels navigating the Baltic Sea during the winter season. The ice-resistant ships will be able to approach and depart Porvoo in the winter months, contributing to operational continuity for Neste's Porvoo facility.

The vessels will utilize low-sulfur fuels and will be capable of being retrofitted to operate on methanol at some point in the future. The vessels will be ready for the future with the possibility to connect to shore power when that is available. In addition, the ships will be equipped with wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) to supplement the ships' main engines. 

Steem 1960 Shipbrokers AS, Oslo, Norway, served as the shipbroker for the agreement.