SEATRADE BOOSTS REEFER BOXSHIP FLEET

The 172m Seatrade Chile incorporates 639 electrical sockets for refrigerated boxes, corresponding to a 1,278TEU reefer capability within an overall container intake of 1,800TEU. The vessel is powered by an MAN two-stroke, oil-fired main engine, and has been prepared for future use of alternative fuels.

The newbuild programme entrusted to Huanghai Shipbuilding began with a four-ship contract award in June 2022, followed last September by the placing of orders  for fifth and sixth vessels, extending production into 2025.

Dubbed the Country Class, the series has been customised from the Sealion 1800 Bangkokmax dry boxship type developed by Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI), and which has attracted multiple contracts at Chinese yards from various owners.

Seatrade’s incoming flotilla, marrying a reefer freight capability equating to some 13,000 pallets within a versatile container carrying capacity, will give further expression to the company’s Fast, Direct and Dedicated logistic service concept for perishable goods.

FDD is attuned to the particular time and handling sensitivities of fresh produce transportation and niche trades. It uses specialised vessels on a direct voyage basis between ports with a dedicated infrastructure, to give shorter delivery times, obviating transhipment, and providing seasonable flexibility in volume.

“Transit times and associated indirect costs are increased on services operated by larger container lines, and there remains a clear demand for FDD services operated by specialised reefers, specialised container vessels and hybrid-type vessels going forward,” asserted Seatrade.

The Country Class design is suited to mixed manifests of 20ft, 40ft, 45ft standard and high-cube dry boxes as well as refrigerated units. The four holds incorporate cell guides throughout, the structure encapsulating  10 rows across, while the above-deck stow comprises a maximum 11 rows. Seatrade Chile is gearless, as will be the second ship in the series, Seatrade Peru, but the subsequent four vessels, beginning with Seatrade Ecuador, will each have independent cargo handling means by way of two, high-stooled 40t deck cranes.

The main engine is a six-cylinder MAN S60ME-C10.5 diesel, incorporating high-pressure selective catalytic reduction(HPSCR) technology so as to meet IMO Tier III NOx criteria. The installation has a specified maximum continuous rating (MCR) of 11,800kW, and drives a fixed pitch propeller for a speed of 18.7 knots at design draught. The machinery’s continuous service rating (CSR) is around 10,000kW.

The wealth of Bureau Veritas class notations embraces those that reflect environmental standards, including CLEANSHIP and Green Passport (EU), while conformity to COMF-NOISE 3 denotes the importance attached to habitability and crew wellbeing.

While a biofuels-ready status was an objective at the outset of the project, discussions after the first tranche of orders had been placed led to the decision to meet the class society’s stipulations for the ‘Methanol fuel-prepared’ notation.

The potential for high payloads of frozen or chilled goods necessitates substantial electric generating plant. In the case of Seatrade Chile, the stipulation was for four diesel gensets of 1,100kWe apiece. It is understood that the later vessels will be equipped with a high-voltage shore connection.

Prior to construction, a model test campaign was conducted at HSVA’s Hamburg premises to verify the efficiency of the bow shape, hull lines, rudder and propeller. The close-quarter manoeuvring which will be a regular feature of the ships’ operating profile will be aided by a bow thruster.

Located at Shidao port in northern China’s Shandong province, the Huanghai yard has previous experience in the construction of standard Sealion 1800-class boxships within a prolific output of medium-sized commercial ships of many types plus vessels for the deep-sea fisheries industry.

Seatrade’s preceding stage of fleet development was also undertaken in China, at Yangfan Shipyard. This involved a series of 2,259TEU geared boxships fitted with sockets for 674FEU reefer units (equivalent to 1,348 TEU). Delivered between 2016 and 2019, the vessels constitute the Seatrade Orange-type, otherwise known as the Colour Class.  

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