The Umiak I is a purpose-built ice-strengthened bulk carrier

Bulk carrier

A bulk carrier, bulk freighter, or bulker is a merchant ship specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo, such as grains, coal, ore, and cement in its cargo holds. Since the first specialized bulk carrier was built in 1852, economic forces have fueled the development of these ships,...

 constructed for the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vale Inco, to transport ore from the Voisey's Bay Mine.

According to an article in the April 2006 issue of The Gossan an internal publication of the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company, the Umiak had completed her sea trial

Sea trial

A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft . It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and can last from a few hours to many days.Sea trials are conducted to measure a vessel’s...

s in Japan, and her delivery was expected in May 2006.
“Umiak is the Inuktitut name for a supply boat or sometimes called a woman’s boat, and is a fitting name for a vessel carrying concentrate from Voisey’s Bay,”

The Umiak makes twelve trips per year, transporting a total of 360,000 tonnes of nickel concentrate, worth $1.5 billion CAD.