Germans fine-tune big order for new ships

The ships, the first of a brand-new bulbless, canoe-bow ECOBOX design, had just been ordered by Singapore-based Symphony Shipping for delivery from spring 2015 from the Leer yard, which is the German subsidiary of Ferus Smit in Westerbroek, Holland. However few technical details of the ships have so far been revealed.

Holland-based Managing Director Jari H. van Niejenhuis explained to The Motorship on Tuesday that “at this stage the shipyard is still fine-tuning the engineering of the project”. He indicated it would be some time before final specifications and equipment were determined. Mr van Niejenhuis also said the newbuilds had been designed by Ferus Smit.

One German report suggested that firm orders had been placed for only four ships and that the remaining two would be options, but that was not officially confirmed. Another report said individual hull sections would be built in Holland and delivered by pontoon from Holland to Leer. Mr van Niejenhuis appeared to scotch that when he told The Motorship the ships would be built in Leer.

Ferus Smit said the ECOBOX design boasted flexible loading combined with economical and ecological performance. It said the ships would have very large single box-shaped holds, large loading floor areas for project cargo and moveable tweendecks.

The ships will also have two cargo cranes and deckhouses on the fore-ship for better deck cargo protection and to enable stern loading of oversized items. Designated open-top they will sail in all conditions with main deck hatches open.

The new ships are of bulbless canoe-type bow design for optimum and sustained speed in adverse weather conditions. The yard said their as yet unidentified propellers would be “equipped with a duct to reduce the maximum installed propulsion power”.