Two horse chase

Increasingly the future for Spain as an international shipbuilding nation depends on the future of two groups, AESA and Boluda.

Although there are shipbuilders in Spain other than AESA and Boluda, either their impact is limited, or they are focused more towards smaller ships and localised industries.

Boluda is a new entity in shipbuilding and because of that its strategy is unclear. The group has arisen from the acquisition – on June 11 – of the former Union Naval de Levante group. However, in the interim that group changed into Midyards, and was then subsequently split into its two component yards.

One yard, which now goes by the name of Union Naval Valencia, is dedicated to newbuilding and seems relatively comfortable for the moment. There are questions over its longer term future. Like all newbuilding yards in Spain it needs further orders. The other yard in the group is now called Union Naval Barcelona and is dedicated to ship repair.

However, the announcement that Inversiones Maritimes del Mediterranea (IMM), the company which held 96.4 per cent of the two yards` equity, has gone into receivership has clouded the issue. IMM is a subsidiary of the Spanish bank BSCH and apparently sold only the facilities and orderbook to Boluda for Pta2.6 billion ($431.9 million) while retaining the debt of Pta25 billion ($150 billion). It has been alleged that an agreement was reached with Boluda that IMM would sell certain assets and then enter into receivership.

For the moment though the yards are operating normally.

Another yard, which could continue to make an impact on international commercial shipbuilding, is wholly independent Naval Gijon. Other yards looking for newbuilding orders include Vulcano and the former AESA yard of Barreras. The majority of the smaller yards are still represented by Construnaves as their central marketing organisation. However, that relationship increasingly seems threatened by regional associations, especially in the Basque region.

There is a general sense of a continuing struggle affecting Spanish shipyards as they seek further orders in a tight market.

Although AESA remains a large European shipbuilder – it comprises six yards and the engine builder Manises Diesel – it is clearly feeling the pressure in a flat market. In Madrid the recently appointed chairman, Marcelino Alonso, notes that sophisticated ships represent the real challenge for AESA`s future. The changes in the shipbuilding market, especially with the recent decision by both P&O and Carnival to sign letters of intent in the Far East is viewed with concern, but Mr Alonso thinks that AESA can still meet the challenge posed.

He believes that if the market develops, then AESA will secure further orders for shuttle tankers. Equally he says that the company is dealing with enquires from prospective ferry and ropax owners. But none of AESA’s yards have a great deal of tonnage on order at the moment, and while Puerto Real has just secured another contract, this does little to ease the situation throughout the group.

Sestao in Bilbao notes that it had a great deal of success in 1995 and 1996 in getting shuttle tankers, although this market has dried up recently.

Finnlines takes delivery of first `Seapacer` vessels

Finnlines, the Finnish operator, has taken delivery of a pair of new-generation combined fast ferry/ropax vessels, notable for advanced features.

Built at the Astilleros Españoles` Puerto Real yard, Finneagle and Finnclipper are the first pair in a series of four ro-pax vessels based on the ‘Seapacer’ design developed by Swedish owner Stena. Finneagle was delivered on April 30, and Finnclipper on July 30.

Designed for easy loading and unloading, the vessels have a substantial cargo access system on the main deck aft, consisting of a stern ramp/door with a 19.5m-wide driveway which is capable of handling two lanes of traffic simultaneously. The 15m-long ramp leads to a hull opening 20m wide and 5.2m high.

At the bow there is an 18.5m ramp providing a 6.5m driveway into the 6.5m-wide by 5.2m-high forward hull opening. When closed, the inner part of the three-section ramp/door forms a watertight door at the collision bulkhead with the outer section folding behind the bow door. A second watertight door is located behind it.

A pair of longitudinal bulkheads split the seven-lane main deck into three sections. Doors close off the two-lane port and starboard sections forward and aft. The arrangement of the longitudinal bulkheads on the main conform to Solas 90+50cm sub-division and stability rules. The doors are watertight at the base and sides when closed, and are stowed parallel to the deck in the open position. Each door is built out of three hinged sections.

The 3.3m wide aft fixed ramp has a 7-degree angle of inclination and begins just 17m forward of the stern ramp/door. The ramp at the bow is partially hoistable, that part hinged to the cellar deck being 33.75m in length and 3.1m wide. End-hinged watertight covers close off both ramp apertures.

The capacity of the five-lane cellar deck is limited to 355 lane-metres, thus providing space for the machinery spaces – although the four main engines are compact machines, the boiler, separator and booster compartments consume considerable space.

Departing from convention

Although the access arrangements to the lower decks largely follow convention on this type of vessel, it is in the upper deck access that Finneagle and Finnclipper differ from similar designs, having a single hoistable ramp on the port side located just forward of midships.

Trucks which traverse the 5.9m wide internal ramp have to make two 180 degree turns before leaving the ship via the bow ramp.

The internal ramp can be lifted into its stowed position with a 240t load. 25m-diameter turning areas have been laid out fore and aft on the upper deck, sufficient for the longest articulated vehicles. Apart from the supports surrounding the access casing on the portside, the upper deck is entirely free from pillars and obstructions.

Having been sold to the Boluda Group the two Union Naval yards are billed as separate entities.

Under new ownership, Union Naval’s Barcelona yard is concentrating on shiprepair (see Shiprepair) and Valencia (UNV) is highlighting its newbuilding expertise. But notes UNV: “At the end of the day the change of ownership to Boluda has made no difference to our activities.”

However, the recent announcement that the yard`s previous owner, Inversiones Maritimes del Mediterranea (IMM), has gone into receivership might change that view. For the moment the company has three chemical tankers under construction, but notes that this is not a prime target. The yard also has an order for a 2,000 lane metre car ferry for Trasmediterranea.

UNV would prefer to build passenger ships and ferries. The yard has previously built cruise ships but has not had any references recently. Of the two ship types it feels that it would like to target ferries, and notes that it is restricted to building at 28,000g maximum. “This is a specific niche and there are a number of other companies competing for this sector,” comments the company. It aims to deliver roughly one ship a year.