A success in the Baltic

An innovative container vessel built in 2007 is proving to be a huge success in the trades to the Baltic and Russia. The yard of IHC Kinderdijk Merwede NV in the Netherlands produced the 1,700TEU Rijnborg (16,523gt/ 16,450dwt) for Dutch operator Wagonborg Shipping BV of Delfzijl. She is an open-top container vessel powered by single screws which are coupled by a gearbox to two Wärtsilä 6L46F engines, each of 10,197bhp, to give a maximum speed of 19.9 knots, although she operates at 13 knots in service. She traded for Alloceanborg Maritime Ltd as Katharina for the first two years, before reverting to the name Rijnborg on 1 February 2009. She has been operating under charter to CMA CGM since then as a feeder container vessel between Hamburg/Rotterdam and St Petersburg. RC