Optimised Finish feeder attuned to UK line

Developed by Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI) in collaboration with contractual owner Langh Ship, the 1,200TEU type has been optimised for the transportation of 45ft containers both in the holds and on deck.

Heading a newbuild series of three ordered from PaxOcean Engineering in Zhoushan, the 150-metre Ingrid was handed over by the Chinese yard towards the end of March, subsequently making passage to Europe to begin her career under charter to Borchard. Second-of-class Lene followed in June, and the last of the trio is expected later this year.

The hatch cover configuration represents a unique aspect of Langh Ship’s new feeder. The covers can be opened in three sections across the width of the vessel, giving better accessibility to the holds, as in situations where the entire bay on the weather deck is not discharged. Furthermore, the four holds are fitted with movable cell guides, which can be adjusted in sections between 40ft and 45ft container positions.

Feedback from ports and operators in the light of experience working cargo on the Ingrid is said to have been overwhelmingly positive, confirming the effectiveness of the dividable hatches in allowing access to the hold without first having to discharge deck cargo.

Relative to overall slot capacity, the availability of electrical sockets for up to 290 reefer boxes denotes a high provision for temperature-controlled cargo, a distinct asset in charterer Borchard’s Mediterranean traffic especially.

As further testament to the advance of two-stroke power in the short-sea market, Ingrid is fitted with an Everllence MAN six-cylinder S50ME-C9.7 main engine, specified at 9,780kW. The installation lends itself to adaptation to alternative fuel options. Direct drive is made to a single controllable pitch propeller of the VBS1350 type from the MAN portfolio.

Propulsion plant selection and the fairing of the hull lines has been in accordance with criteria that paired cargo capacity maximisation with energy consumption minimisation, while ensuring a speed of 18 knots. Seakeeping performance and speed maintenance in adverse conditions benefit from the nature of the bow form, having a straight rather than raked stem.

High-pressure selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology is incorporated to ensure that main engine NOx emissions are within the IMO Tier III limit. The system was supplied by Qingdao SunRui Marine Environment Engineering, part of the CSSC conglomerate.

Carbon capture

Figuring among the technologies supplied by Langh Ship’s sister company Langh Tech, the hybrid scrubber lends itself to continuous operation in closed-loop mode. Moreover, the exhaust gas cleaning system has been readied for later adoption of the company’s recently-developed Onboard Carbon Capture (OCC) solution.

The OCC captures CO₂ from the exhaust gas stream, not only reducing carbon emissions by 20-50% but also chemically binding the CO₂ into resaleable sodium carbonate for utilisation in industrial applications. The long-term value of the technology is enhanced by the fact that the system is also designed to function should the vessel be run on biofuel.

Adoption of WE Tech’s permanent magnet shaft generator solution renders significant efficiency benefits, meeting the vessel’s regular electrical load when under way, while also reducing the environmental footprint.

The ship’s genset aggregates are based on three MAN 8L23/30H four-stroke engines, also Tier III compatible. Proprietary SCR systems were used in the auxiliaries. Manoeuvring at tight and/or wind-prone berths is assisted by a 1,000kW Brunvoll FU74 bow thruster.

Space has been provided for a battery room, to allow future adoption of an energy storage system. In fact, installations are already planned for the three 1,200TEU Ingrid-class ships, drawing on in-house product technology.

Having initiated development in 2023, Langh Tech recently added a battery system to its marine equipment offering, favouring a lithium-ion phosphate (LFP)-based solution. LFP chemistry is claimed to give superior thermal resistance and to eliminate the risk of thermal runaway, outperforming traditional li-ion and lead-acid batteries in safety, longevity, and environmental impact.

Financing to the tune of EUR35 million ($41m) was secured for the Ingrid and Lene through KfW IPEX-Bank, while the Langh Group covered the cost of the third newbuild through its own resources. Frankfurt-headquartered KfW IPEX has made a strategic commitment to backing projects entailing “innovative vessels that advance decarbonisation in the European maritime sector”.

While much of its fleet is Finnish-flagged, Langh Ship has, in common with an increasing number of owners in the short-sea market and beyond, nominated Madeira registry in Portugal for its new feedership series.

Long-term asset value, and unfettered, independent year-round operation in the northernmost region of Borchard Lines’ trading ambit has been better ensured by the design’s adherence to Swedish/Finnish ice class 1A criteria.

Borchard Lines provides weekly sailings between ports in north continental Europe, the UK and the Mediterranean. Deploying about a dozen ships, the company has a relatively small establishment with a flat management structure, providing door-to-door logistics and having a reputation for schedule reliability.

The focus on vessels of modest size best suited to ensuring high payload capacity utilisation on the trades involved, and better able to meet frequency and consistency standards in an era of ever-larger regional boxships, is regarded by the operator as one of its strongest cards.

Borchard’s ongoing investment outlay on equipment includes an increasing number of pallet-wide containers, which can help customers reduce overall handling and transport costs and lessen emissions per pallet.

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