Siba expands livestock fleet

Italian-based Siba Ships, the world?s leading maritime livestock transporting company, has placed a $250 million order for two livestock carriers to be built at Croatia?s Uljanik yard. The new vessels will carry 18,000 cattle or 75,000 sheep safely and in comfort. Aimed at the thriving Australian livestock export trade, the vessels will enter service in 2011.

Mauro Balzarini, chairman of Siba Ships, says, “Our most modern vessel, ?Becrux?, built in Uljanik in 2002, was the world?s first new construction large livestock carrier. It has significantly raised standards in livestock carriage and after almost 80 successful voyages we now know that we can deliver livestock to their destinations happier, healthier and heavier than when they boarded. So we have ordered two broadly similar ships, with some improvements based on our experience in service. These vessels, along with the two ultra modern smaller livestock carriers which we hope to take delivery of soon from Labroy, will bring a very significant amount of very high quality new capacity into the livestock trades. In total we have invested over $320m in new livestock vessels. That benefits the animals, the producers, the shippers and the receivers, and we see significant and increasing demand for this standard of livestock carriage, which exceeds governmental standards and is totally focused on animal welfare. Using these vessels we know that the animals will arrive in better condition than when they boarded, which makes both welfare and commercial good sense.”

The new Uljanik vessels will be 180 metres loa with stronger ventilation and better air distribution than previous ships, better fodder distribution, higher redundancy in livestock services and they will be more environmentally friendly than any other livestock carriers afloat. Built to RINA class they will have Green Star voluntary environment certification and also Green Passport.

The vessels will be propelled by a single M.A.N. – Burmeister & Wain 7S50MC-C engine developing nominal max continuous rating 11,620 kW at 127 rpm, to deliver a service speed of 19.8 knots. Electronic control of the main engine will achieve significantly lower emissions than current vessels of comparable power.

SIBA currently operates three livestock carriers, one tanker and fourteen Panamax, Kamsarmax and handy bulkers and has a further 15 bulk newbuildings for delivery between now and 2011. These include post Panamax, Kamsarmax, and handy size tonnage either owned or on long term charter.