China’s Jinling shipyard has been contracted to build two 235m by 33m ro-ro ships for Denmark’s DFDS, each to have 6,700 lane metres of capacity for approximately 450 truck trailers. The contract is valued at over $150 million and includes options for two additional vessels.
According to DFDS CEO Niels Smedegaard, the new trailer ships will cut energy consumption and emissions by more than 25 per cent per transported trailer compared to current standards and will meet new IMO EEDI (Energy Efficiency Design Index) requirements.
To accomplish this, the vessels will be fitted with exhaust scrubbers and state-of-the-art ballast water treatment systems as well as a number of other energy efficiency initiatives. In addition, a unique ramp system will be installed so that cargo can be loaded and discharged in a very short space of time.
The twin 21-knot ships, which have been designed by Denmark’s Knud E. Hansen, will be deployed on DFDS’ route network in the North Sea following their delivery in late 2018 and early 2019. They will be replacement tonnage for older vessels in the DFDS fleet and will accommodate expected freight growth, while also increasing the company’s operational efficiency and reducing its overall environmental impact.
