Breki, built for Westman Islands company Vinnslustöðin, has been launched after its final visit to the slipway and sister vessel Páll Pálsson for Ísafjörður company Gunnvör is not far behind. The pair are expected to leave later this summer for the delivery trip to Iceland that will take them half-way around the world.

The pair are designed with exceptionally large 4700mm diameter propellers and propulsion systems that will provide more power per litre of fuel than conventional vessels, with a projected fuel saving of 30-40%

“Our calculations show that a five-metre propeller is 30-40% more economic than a three-metre propeller,” said Skipasýn project manager Rakel Sævarsdóttir, adding this super propeller is a good option for areas where ports have enough depth of water to cope with the deeper draft that the propeller requires in a vessel's construction.

Breki was launched earlier this month and Páll Pálsson is approaching completion, while Breki's skipper Magnús Ríkarðsson said that there is still much of the fitting out to be completed.

“It's exciting to see it all happening. The ship is magnificent, an outstandingly handsome ship,” he said, recently returned from a visit to the yard in China.

“Fitting out takes time and we won't take delivery of the ship until everything is done as laid out in the contract.I would expect it could take two months to finish everything.”