VESSEL REVIEW | Rotra Futura – Wind turbine transport Ro-Ro enters service with Netherlands' Amasus Shipping

A new freight-only Ro-Ro vessel was recently handed over to Netherlands-based cargo transport specialist Amasus Shipping.

Rotra Futura will be used primarily for the transport of large offshore wind turbine components, operated by Amasus on behalf of logistics company Deugro Danmark under a long-term charter agreement.

The design work that went into the ship had the aim of ensuring a more cost-efficient and more energy-efficient means of transporting offshore wind turbines and their associated components.

The vessel was developed to be compatible with future low-emission propulsion systems as well as capable of transporting larger, heavier, and more powerful wind turbines.

Ro-Ro ramps and cranes for enhanced flexibility during cargo handling

Deugro said the concept for the new vessel builds upon the existing tailor-made concept with Amasus’ earlier ships Rotra Mare and Rotra Vente, which have been in service since 2016.

The company remarked that the concept has proven capable of reducing risk, loading time and costs by utilising a combination Ro-Ro and gantry system when transporting wind turbine components.

Rotra Futura has a length of 167.6 metres (549.9 feet), a beam of 26 metres (85 feet), and a deadweight of 15,600. The ship’s superstructure containing both the wheelhouse and the accommodation block is placed near the bow, thus maximising cargo capacity while ensuring optimal loading without obstructing visibility from the bridge.

Turbine components are loaded and offloaded via a ramp. Three Liebherr LS-C cranes and a special ramp system will meanwhile enable turbine blades to be stowed in three tiers, thus providing greater flexibility in loading methods and cargo configurations.

The Ro-Ro also features a hybrid propulsion system consisting of an IMO Tier III-compliant main diesel engine and facilities for waste heat recovery and exhaust gas aftertreatment.

Improved fuel economy over the same distances

The aerodynamic and hydro-optimised design of the hull, combined with a special low-resistance coating, helps reduce fuel consumption, though the main engine already boasts a 15 per cent lower fuel consumption level when compared to current standards.

Development of Rotra Futura and sister vessel Rotra Horizon, which will be delivered later this year, was done in collaboration with Siemens Gamesa, Deugro, and Dutch naval architecture firm DEKC Maritime. Construction of the vessels took place at Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard in China.