Dutch operator bolsters short sea fleet

The 88m newbuild pair has been ordered by the Groningen-domiciled Longship Group from GS Yard in nearby Waterhuizen under a deal entailing especially prompt deliveries this year.

An outstanding feature of the design, elemental to the competitiveness it offers in a traditionally low-margin market through fuel efficiency, is the capability to maintain laden speeds suited to coastal trading using a main engine of just 749kW maximum power. Furthermore, the specified installation, a Mitsubishi S12R high-speed diesel, confers IMO Tier III compliance without the need for additional measures.

The prospective additions to the fleet, to be named Longsun and Longsky, will embody the GS Eco-Freighter 3700 type, originally developed by Groot Ship Design and GS Yard with Dutch shipowner input. A focus on hydrodynamic aspects, optimisation of the hull form and afterbody, has enabled the vessel class to attain a service speed of 10 knots with the aforementioned, modest power concentration, as has been proven in coasters of the design delivered to various operators over the past number of years.

Each newbuild will offer an underdeck cargo volume of 181,000ft3 in a single, box-shaped hold of 62.3m, equipped with two movable bulkheads that can additionally be used to create a tweendeck level. While eminently suited to the grain, timber and industrial bulk commodities that underpin much of Longship’s business, the cargo space subdivision potential plus open-top notation afford increased loading flexibility, including project consignments.

In addition, both ships will be suited to loading and discharge while safely aground at tidal berths, offering so-called NAABSA capability, and will be fitted with a 265kW bow thruster for manoeuvring in small ports and restricted channels.

Commercial operation has been assigned to Norwegian broker Wagle Chartering, part-owned by Longship, while technical husbandry and manning will be in the hands of Longship Management.  

The company also has four 8,600dwt multi-purpose, dry cargo carriers on order in Turkey, at Atlas Shipyard, where first-of-class Longera is approaching completion following launching last October. The 131m design, devised in collaboration with Dutch technical consultancy Ankerbeer, is characterised by a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion setup using two Yanmar engines powering azimuth thrusters.

Longship claims that the Turkish newbuilds will offer a 45% reduction in fuel consumption relative to existing ships of similar size. Facilitating retrofit for alternative fuels has been a key consideration in the technical planning, and the ships will be delivered with a notation indicating preparedness for methanol.