Deck equipment order for ‘green’ bulk carriers

The three 36,500dwt Laker class bulkers are being built at New Times Shipyard for Cyprus-based Intership Navigation Company. Each will each feature an optimised cargo-handling system comprising MacGregor cranes and hatch covers as well as Hatlapa steering gear and electrically-driven variable frequency drive (VFD) Hatlapa deck equipment.

The ships are expected to have a 20% reduction in fuel consumption in comparison with similar existing vessels, thanks to an optimised hull form and propulsion system developed by DNV GL consultancy FutureShip. Further savings are being offered through the MacGregor equipment package which includes hydraulically-operated folding hatch covers, four MacGregor electro-hydraulic cranes (2 x GLB3628 and 2 x GLB3626), a Hatlapa VFD deck machinery ship set as well as Hatlapa Triton 800 rotary vane steering gear.The MacGregor deliveries are planned to start at the end of 2015 and continue into 2016.

“The MacGregor team supported Intership with its cargo-handling solution development at a very early stage with planning sessions, technical layouts and budget pricing, so that the shipowner could present the new ship concept further to the charterer,” said MacGregor account manager Hans Berg. “Today’s environmental standards and uncertainties in the global economy set new challenges for ship designs. These new ships will effectively be upgraded versions of Intership’s existing Laker-class vessels.”

Intership Navigation manages a fleet of more than 80 vessels, mainly consisting of dry bulk and break bulk vessels, cement carriers and product tankers. According to Mr Berg, “since Intership’s establishment 1988, MacGregor has worked closely with the company and about 75% of its fleet is equipped with MacGregor hatch covers and/or cargo cranes.”