Boxship series for growing Lomar fleet

Embodying the Super ECO 2700 type devised by the Marine Design and Research Institute (MARIC) of China, she is the third in a series of four ordered from Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard. The Chinese shipbuilding and allied industries have been pivotal to Lomar’s realisation of its extensive newbuild investment strategy over the past several years

The optimised hull form contributes to a fuel efficiency performance claimed to be significantly more competitive than that of boxships of comparable size, and the new class is distinguished by a high reefer intake relative to overall slot capacity.

While the box rating is modest by the standards of deepsea cellular tonnage, the vessel is exceptionally beamy in relation to its 186m length, whereby the 34.8 breadth exceeds the former Panamax criterion. This makes for a hull envelope that accommodates a higher teu payload and results in improved transport efficiency.

Delaware Trader is arranged to carry 1,086 teu in the cellular holds and provides 1,696 teu slots on deck within an array of lashing bridges. Against an all-up rating of 2,782 teu, the ship’s capacity in terms of a 14t homogeneous load factor is 2,300 teu, and scope for temperature-controlled freight is expressed in a total 600 reefer container sockets, comprising 390 on deck and 210 in the holds. While built as a gearless ship, the requisite strengthening has been incorporated to facilitate any future decision to fit deck cranes.

SEAWATER LUBRICATION

The propulsive power installation is a six-cylinder model of MAN’s G60ME-C two-stroke diesel driving a Nakashima propeller, while the auxiliary outfit sized to meet a high electrical load is based on four gensets driven by Daihatsu 6DK-28e engines manufactured under licence in China by Anqing.

The ship is fitted with a seawater-lubricated propeller shaft bearing system designed and supplied by the Canadian specialist Thordon Bearings. While environmental protection was a key factor in the decision to nominate the Thordon solution rather than a conventional, oil-lubricated alternative, the shipowner anticipates that the long-term savings offered by seawater lubrication will outweigh the higher capital outlay. Results with the Delaware Trader will determine whether Lomar adopts seawater lubricated systems for future newbuilds.

Built to DNV GL class, the Super ECO 2700 vessels will operate in accordance with the society’s TMON notational requirements. The ships can accordingly benefit from the same extended shaft withdrawal inspection periods as an oil-based system by meeting certain monitoring conditions.

Lomar’s latest Super ECO 2700 newbuild series began with the September 2017 deliveries of Carolina Trader and California Trader. Like the Delaware Trader, these are currently operating in South East Asia. Fourth-of-class Washington Trader is due later this year.

Originally known for its fleet of refrigerated cargo ships, Lomar has been broadening its interests over the past four decades, such that it now has a growing, mixed fleet of boxships in the 800-6,000TEU range, bulkers, chemtankers and product carriers. This diversity has afforded flexibility for acquiring and selling tonnage, often in counter-cyclical fashion, while maintaining a sustained shipowning presence throughout.

Orders awarded to Chinese yards over the past six years have to date resulted in 24 deliveries of containerships and ultramax bulk carriers. Shortly after the commissioning of Delaware Trader, Lomar completed the current renewal stage for its bulker fleet with the handover of an eighth Dolphin-class, 64,000dwt geared newbuild from COSCO Zhoushan.

Lomar is a principal component of the Libra Group, an international conglomerate wholly-owned and controlled by the Logothetis family and consisting of 30 subsidiaries spanning a number of sectors including aviation, energy, real estate and hospitality, as well as shipping. The diversified organisation has been created out of what was once a small shipping company.

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