Hagland exercises self-discharging bulker option

The NOK150 million (US$16.9m) deal with Royal Bodewes represents an option taken following an earlier order for two such vessels announced in April 2021, and lifts the overall value of the orders to NOK450m. The latest order is scheduled will take place in mid-2023 while the two sisters are scheduled to be delivered in summer 2022 and in Q1 2023. 

The newbuild features the same optimised design incorporating a plug-in hybrid battery solution that satisfies IMO Tier III emission requirements. By drawing electricity from the shore grid when alongside, rather than running on diesel gensets, both exhaust and noise emissions will be reduced in port.

Shore power will cover the shipboard load when alongside, including that for cargo handling using an electric excavator-type unloader, and will also recharge the batteries.

The incoming vessels are expected to immediately lower CO₂ emissions by more than 40% and lower NOx by 90-95%. Furthermore, the design has been prepared to facilitate future adaptation for zero-emission performance.

The project has attracted financial support from the Norwegian government via ENOVA, an agency of the Ministry of Climate and the Environment.