At the cutting edge

摘要

Selecting one from all of the many possible candidates representing the whole spectrum of ship types is a near impossible task but with energy and offshore providing the only bright spot for many of the world's builders, it is fitting that the Solutions Ship of the Year 2012 should come from this sector. And while there were many possibilities, Stena's latest addition to its drill ship fleet stands out above the rest. Stena IceMAX is superficially similar to the three previous Stena DrillMAX ships and indeed it was initially ordered as the fourth in class, but with Arctic and Antarctic oil exploration in mind, the ship's specifications were amended to make it the very first drill ship in the world capable of operating in Arctic conditions.