Name Nordic Orion Operator Seamar Management S.A. Ordered 27 March 2006 Construction started 10 June 2010 Length 225 m Beam 32 m | Owner Bulk Nordic Orion Ltd. Port of registry Panama City, Panama Laid down 10 June 2010 Launched 17 December 2010 Draft 14 m | |
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Builders Oshima Shipbuilding, Saikai | ||
MS Nordic Orion is a Danish bulk carrier registered in Panama City. A coal and ore carrier, Nordic Orion has a capacity of 75,603 tonnes deadweight (DWT). It was built in 2011 by Oshima Shipbuilding. Nordic Orion has an ice-strengthened hull. It is owned and operated by Nordic Bulk Carriers.
Voyage through the Northwest Passage
Nordic Orion was the first large sea freighter to transit the Arctic Northwest Passage since global warming opened the route. The ship started its voyage from the Port Metro Vancouver, Canada on 6 September 2013 carrying a cargo of 73,500 tons of coking coal. Nordic Orion completed its voyage through the passage on 27 September stopping at Nuuk, Greenland and reached its destination, the Port of Pori, Finland on 9 October 2013.
Northwest Passage shortened the distance between Vancouver and Pori with 1,000 nautical miles compared to traditional route via the Panama Canal. Fuel savings were approximately $80,000. Nordic Orion was also able to load 15,000 tons more cargo than sailing through the Panama Canal due to its depth limits.
The journey has been described as an opening of a new era on the commercial use of Arctic. It has also caused a lot of criticism among environmental organisations like Bellona Foundation and some Canadian experts. Michael Byers, an expert at the University of British Columbia warned about shallow waters and icebergs that may cause risk even to ice-strengthened ships. According to Byers, Canada's search and rescue capabilities in the Arctic area are poor.
Nordic Bulk Carriers has acknowledged the Nordic Orion never would have made the voyage if the Canadian Coast Guard had not provided free icebreaker escorts.
