A Royal Arctic Line (RAL) boxship has been freed from polar ice off Greenland after a day of paralysis.

The Greenland-based shipowner said the 606-teu Malik Arctica (built 2017) had become stuck on Wednesday morning off Ittoqqortoormiit.

Passengers evacuated as leaking ropax grounds off Finland
 Read more

The company added the weather and wind conditions over the following days would prove key to releasing the container vessel and that patience was needed.

But on Thursday afternoon, the ship managed to break free.

Malik Artica is carrying essential winter supplies for ​​Ittoqqortoormiit.

Wrong kind of ice

"Ice conditions are a challenge," said RAL earlier.

"It is storis [polar ice] and not winter ice that is currently preventing Malik Arctica from docking at the harbour, and unfortunately the storis' movements are more difficult to predict than ordinary winter ice."

RAL explained a vessel like Malik Arctica would usually have no problem breaking winter ice and making it into port.

The Greenland shipping company has a fleet of 12 ships.

This comprises six feederships and general cargo, multipurpose and ferry tonnage.