The North by the Sea - Ships at Sea.
The Swedish Post gives the following by the issues.
Shipping lanes must be open regardless of the time of year, and the Swedish Maritime Administration ensures that Swedish harbors can remain open year round. The ice at sea is broken and ships having difficulty reaching the harbors receive assistance. Icebreakers also help shipping vessels by offering surveillance, directions, guidance and towing.
The stamps depict the Swedish Maritime Administration’s icebreakers, ATLE and YMER. ATLE was built at the Wärtsilä shipyard in Finland and was delivered in 1974. YMER was delivered in 1977 from the same shipyard. They are sister vessels, with similar perfor- mance and measurements. They have engines that are 22,000 hp, they can reach up to around 20 knots on the open sea, they are around 107 m long and they carry a crew of 20.
Built as an icebreaker under yard No 402 by Oy Wärtsilä Sandviken Ab, Helsingfors, Finland for the Swedish Government Maritime Admin.
27 November 1973 launched as the ATLE, four sisters the FREI, YMER, URHO and SISU.
Tonnage 6,850 grt, 2,570 dwt. Displacement 7,800 ton, dim. 104.60 x 23.80 x 8.30m.
Powered, diesel electric by five Wärtsilä S.E.M.T. Pielstick 12PC 2-2V diesel engines, 21,664 hp ( 18,400 kW), two propellers forward and two aft. Speed 19 knots. Bunker capacity 2,200 m³.
Can break ice of 1.2m by a speed of 3 knots.
Bollard pull 190 tons.
Endurance 6-8 weeks.
Accommodation; 27 single cabins and 17 double cabins.
21 October 1974 delivered to owners, crewed by the Swedish Navy.
ATLE is designed as an escort icebreaker for the purpose of handling all possible conditions of ice in the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Bothnia. In the last few years ATLE has been refitted with new towing equipment, has upgraded it´s safety equipment and has had an extensive reconditioning of all systems in the engine department. All of this made to extend the life span of the icebreaker another 20 years.
24 October 1974 sailed from, Helsingfors to Stockholm.
1984 Refitted for HFO fuel operation by the Oskarshamn shipyard in Oskarshamn.
01 August 2001 management taken over by B&N Hornet AB, Stockholm, navy crew replaced by a civilian crew.
01 May 2005 management transferred to OSM Ship Management, Goteborg.
June 2008 management transferred to Transatlantic Rederei AB, Goteborg.
2014 In service, same name and owners/managers IMO No.7347627.
Sweden 2014 15KR sgMS?, scott? (see is the icebreaker in full on the stamp while the YMER only the fore-deck is visible.)
see also: http://www.shipstamps.co.uk/forum/viewt ... atle#p8038
Source: http://www.faktaomfartyg-se/atle_1974.htm Swedish Maritime Administration. Wikipedia. http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz