A new Chinese heavy-lift ship begins operational sailings as a Japanese yard delivers new bulkers to two separate owners. Construction continues on Russian multi-purpose carriers and a Ro-Ro for an Australian operator. Finally, a Swedish transport company unveils a new design of sail-equipped vehicle transporter.
A new shallow-draught, heavy-lift vessel built by China's Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) for use by its own ocean transport arm departed on its maiden operational voyage on Sunday, April 6.
Zhenhua 37 left the Port of Shanghai with two quay cranes as its initial cargo. In addition to transporting cranes, the vessel will also transport modular jetties and other port equipment using its spacious deck, which is rated to carry 25 tonnes per square metre.
Stena Line's latest concept for a new generation of vessels is "Stena Futuro", a 240-metre-long Ro-Ro vessel intended for transporting semi-trailers and cars, equipped with all manner of optimistic technologies.
“The mission is to develop the most efficient and competitive vessel possible for a specific cargo capacity, using today’s available technology," said Nicolas Bathfield, Project Manager at Stena Teknik, who has been involved in developing the concept. "The goal is for the vessel to have the lowest fuel consumption on the market.”
With a joint signal from SeaRoad Logistics and FSG Shipyard management, the steel cutting of the C57 module from section 43, the weather deck 23 metres above the keel, ceremonially kickstarted the second attempt at construction of SeaRoad's delayed Ro-Ro ferry.
For FSG Shipyard, the former, troubled, Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft, the moment represented a rebirth following the insolvency of parent group FSG-Nobiskrug earlier this year, and its takeover by the Heinrich Rönner Group.
Russia's V.I. Lenin Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Yard has laid the keels of two new dry cargo vessels in a series ordered by local operator State Transport Leasing Company (STLC).
The Project RSD81 ships were designed in compliance with Russian Maritime Register of Shipping rules. They will be capable of operating in the open sea as well as Russian inland waters such as the Volga-Baltic Waterway and the Volga-Don Canal.
Japan's Imabari Shipbuilding has handed over two new bulk carriers in a series ordered by separate customers.
Ultra OL (pictured) will be operated by Taiwanese shipping company OceanLance Maritime while Ultra Endurance has been delivered to Denmark-based Ultrabulk. Both are registered to Panama and were built in compliance with ClassNK rules.