Short-Sea Owners Endorse Standard Design

The latest round of business involving the 3,850dwt design entails two newbuilds for Reederei Wessels and two for HS Shipping Group, taking the current orderbook to 13 examples of the general-purpose carrier. Production is concentrated at Damen Yichang Shipyard, far inland on the Yangtze River.

The transactions with Wessels and HS Shipping—neighbouring companies in the northwest German riverside town of Haren-on-Ems – closely follow the announcement of further CF3850s for two other local owners, Reederei Gerdes and Elbe-Ems. Moreover, a few months ago, Blue Fin Shipping of Buxtehude committed to an additional four examples of the type.

The 2019 re-design of the class, after some 60 such vessels had been delivered by Damen over the preceding 20-year period, has given a new edge to an already efficient, versatile breed of coastal and intra-regional trader. This has coincided with a steady return to profitability among short-sea cargo vessel operators, in conjunction with pressure to update fleets in line with environmental imperatives.

Four vessels embodying the revamped design were commissioned last year, all by German firms, and have confirmed the effectiveness of the revisions in service. The capability to maintain 10 or 11 knots fully-laden, even in head winds and in the adverse conditions typical of north European winter voyaging, is achieved with less engine power and thus lower fuel consumption than in the previous iterations of the design.

The latest ships have a six-cylinder DZC main engine from Belgian manufacturer ABC, yielding a modest 1,104kW output at 800rpm. The economy arising from the hydrodynamic and propulsion characteristics has a signal bearing on the EEDI measurement, positioning the class to live up to current and future CO₂ emission criteria.

Capital cost competitiveness reflects two hallmarks of the Damen philosophy, namely design tuning to serial production, and building for stock so as to be able to offer quick deliveries to clients. These factors assume added significance with China as the point of primary construction.

The CF3850 has main dimensions of 89.7m length overall and 12.5m beam, wherein the single hold measures 62.5m x 10.1m, affording some 186,000ft³ for bulk industrial and agricultural commodities, forestry and steel products, and project cargoes. Portable grain bulkheads offer multiple stow positions and scope for a partial tweendeck.