On January 21, Finnish steelmaker Ruukki announced that it has signed a contract with Finland-based shipbuilding company STX Finland Oy's Rauma shipyard to deliver plates for a polar supply and research vessel, which has been ordered by the South African Department of Environmental Affairs. The plate deliveries, a total of 6,000 metric tons, will begin in August this year. The vessel will be delivered to the customer in spring 2012.
STX Finland Oy, which is part of the STX Europe group, is the world's leading supplier of specialised vessels including ice-breakers, passenger ships and ferries. Ruukki Engineering has been working in cooperation with STX Finland over a long time, most recently by supplying shipbuilding plates and profiles for the cruise vessels Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.