Gotland Carolina - for bunkers

The Super Ice tanker Gotland Carolina arrived this afternoon for bunkers. The ship is of typical handy tanker dimensions, but is built to a high ice class spec, not found in the usual Korean mass produced tankers. Built in 2006, it came from Guangzhen International shipyard in Guanzhen, China, measuring 29,283 grt, 53,160 dwt.

Showing some frozen spray forward, Gotland Carolina steams inbound this afternoon. Note the anchors are clear of ice. The ship timed its arrival to allow the unwieldy tow to clear port.

The ship is a regular winter visitor to the St.Lawrence River, as far west as Montreal. On this trip, it was in Montreal on December 27 and arrived at the Valéro refinery in Lévis December 31. It took on a cargo of ultra-low sulphur diesel fuel for the US, but strangely did not take bunkers in either of those ports, instead, coming to Halifax for fuel. Of course the fuel it took on today was refined in the US and shipped here from Houston - go figure.
Gotand Carolina is operated by Hafnina Management of Hellerup, Denmark and flies the Bahamas flag. As with the other Super Ice tankers, it features a penguin painted on its superstructure.  Interestingly, the ship's crew when in radio communication, pronounced the ships name as CARE-O-LEE'-NA. This would indicate to me that it is not named for either of the two US states, but named with a female first name.

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