VESSEL REVIEW | Snow Flower – Cool Carriers to deploy versatile reefer ship on global routes
Cyprus-based Cool Carriers has taken delivery of a new reefer container vessel built by Japan's Kitanihon Shipbuilding.
The Singapore-registered Snow Flower is the first ship in a new series of container vessels to be ordered by Cool Carriers from the same builder.
Like other ships in the Cool Carriers fleet, the new vessels will be used across trade routes that cover Western Europe, Latin America, Africa, New Zealand, and the United States.
Flexible container handling arrangement for serving various markets
The newbuild has an LOA of 158 metres (518 feet), a moulded beam of 25 metres (82 feet), a loaded draught of 8.95 metres (29.4 feet), a moulded depth of 14.35 metres (47.08 feet), a deadweight of 14,549, and a gross tonnage of 13,287.
Each vessel in the series is designed to safely carry 5,000 high-cube pallets of perishable fruit, along with reefer containers consisting of both 40-foot and 20-foot boxes, at a service speed of 18 knots.
Two vessels have capacities of over 630,000 cubic feet (18,000 cubic metres) while five have capacities of 660,000 cubic feet (19,000 cubic metres). Both total capacity figures include those of the holds and the hatch covers.
Improved weather resistance
The vessel features modern hull and propulsion designs, including energy-efficient engines engineered to meet stringent IMO and EU environmental regulations through to 2030 and beyond.
The propulsion system can run on either heavy fuel oil or very low-sulphur fuel oil. Navigation is possible even under Beaufort Force four conditions, ensuring safe operation within a broader weather window.
The ship is also fitted with two 40-ton container handling cranes and two eight-ton pallet handling cranes.
Snow Flower was built in compliance with ClassNK requirements. This delivery forms part of Cool Carriers’ ongoing fleet renewal strategy, which the company said will ensure continued competitiveness in the specialised reefer segment.
