Winter came early in Europe in 2012 and kept up its icy blast throughout the New Year. Seafarers had to cope with winter storms and sub-zero temperatures while trying to keep supplies moving. One tanker that tramps all over Europe is Sten Hidra (2007/11,935gt), and over the winter she has called at both Fawley and Immingham. The vessel, which was built in 2007, arrived in a very icy Noord Zee Kanaal on 7 December 2012 after a voyage from Immingham.
She can carry oil or chemicals, including caustic soda of a maximum 50 per cent concentrate, and has deadweight capacity of 16,670 tons on a draft of 8.9m. The vessel, operated by Rederiet Stenersen AS., Bergen, follows a trading pattern which took her Baltiysk early in the New Year. Baltiysk is the westernmost town in Russia. RC
