Netherlands' Vertom welcomes eighth hybrid cargo ship in series

Thecla Bodewes Shipyards in the Netherlands recently handed over a new hybrid dry cargo vessel to local shipping company the Vertom Group.

Vertom Joyce is the eighth vessel in a series that also includes Vertom Cyta, Vertom Tomma, Vertom Lisa, and Vertom Willemijn. The ships were designed by Dutch naval architecture firm Groot Ship Design and are capable of transporting bulk, general, and containerised cargo.

The series will consist of ten ships, all of which will feature optimised hull forms and hybrid diesel-electric propulsion. The propulsion will be of modular construction to accommodate modifications that will allow the engines to run on future low-emission fuels such as hydrogen and methanol.

Vertom Joyce has an LOA of 118.6 metres, a beam of 14.3 metres, a draught of 6.3 metres, a gross tonnage of 4,766, a box-shaped cargo hold with a capacity of up to 9,336 cubic metres, and space for 56 TEUs. The propulsion meanwhile delivers a speed of just over 11 knots.

In combination with an advanced power management system, the propulsion will help minimise energy losses as well as reduce overall fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Vertom said that the installed power is considerably lower compared to ships of equal cargo capacity and with conventional propulsion.