HAMBURG-based Rickmers-Linie, specialist in the transport of breakbulk, heavylift and project cargo, is to acquire the multi-purpose vessel (MPV)
Rickmers-Linie buys second heavylift MPV for Europe-Mideast/India work
HAMBURG-based Rickmers-Linie, specialist in the transport of breakbulk, heavylift and project cargo, is to acquire the multi-purpose vessel (MPV) sister of the Baltic Winter it chartered more than a year ago to add to the 19,100 dwt Pacific Winter.
The heavylift MPV will be renamed the Rickmers Chennai and is to be deployed on its maiden voyage in Singapore from mid-April on a voyage to Europe via India and the Middle East. It will call at any port en route will be considered. Its sister vessel will be renamed Rickmers Dubai following an extension of its charter. Both will feature the Rickmers-Linie logo.
Its reduced size allows it greater flexibility in port calls where depth, berth lengths and turning circles are restricted compared to larger 30,000 dwt ships on its Round-The-World Pearl String Service.
These geared MPVs also boast the greatest lift capability of any ship in the Rickmers fleet, carrying 400-tonne deck cranes that can be twinned to lift 800 tonnes, further assisted by a 120 tonne crane forward.
Rickmers Linie managing director Ulrich Ulrichs said the ships will invaluable on Europe to India and Middle East services enabling greater choice of ports for customers.
"With heavy out-of-gauge cargo, you need to get the cargo as close as possible to the ultimate destination as overland transportation is expensive and complicated," Mr Ulrichs said.
