The market for fuel efficient new European Short Sea ships are booming:
European yards are also able to compete in this market:
The Royal Bodewes built 2023 delivered HAGLAND PROGRESS navigating the Dutch Coastal waters
Photo : Flying Focus Aerial Photography www.flyingfocus.nl Š
The ultimate Short Sea container ship? This one appears to cover all bases::
They are not afraid of thinking new and out of the box:
The newer European Short Sea vessel is a far cry from the traditional types from 20-30 years ago.
Here is one that specializes of transporting OWF components from the manufacturing plants to the staging area, or delivered directly to WTIVs offshore:
BRAVEWIND outbound from Amsterdam. Photo: Leo van der Wel (c)
The EasyMax type multi-purpose General cargo vessel design has now proven itâs worth for some years:
https://www.niesternsander.com/cases/easymax-general-cargo-vessel-egbert-wagenborg
Construction of EasyMax #4 started in May this year (2023) with cutting of first steel plates:
New self-discharging bulker on the way from building yard in China:
Illustration: Polarkonsult
âVigdis Hâ was handed over on 27 September and is soon ready for departure from China for Norway:
Delivery crew is ready for a long trip:
Photos via the shipping company
Description:
Mini-bulker âHelene Hâ loaded almost to her âinshore coastalâ load line:
She is well loaded when sailing north in Raftsundet at Hanøy, 11.07.24.
Photo: Kjell-arne Jenssen
Comment:
Ă
ge Rønne yes, almostâŚat the âcoast markâ they have some 40 cm of freeboard. Draft of 5,975 mtr.
Misje Vita in Kiel Canal 12.May 2023. Photo: Katrin Herrman
Misje Vita in Grenland port, Brevik, Norway 05.June 2024 Photo: Tomas.
Misje Vita in the Kiel Canal, 16.July 2024. Photo: Hilmar Peschel
Customers of shipping companies are price driven. They donât give a fig about sustainability.
Vessel owners are cost driven. They donât give a fig about sustainability.
Banks are profit driven. They donât care about sustainability. They just want customers that can repay their loans.
So who ( other than crazy government corporate welfare programs) is actually going to pay the high extra costs of building and operating âsustainable â ships?
Where is all the extra money to pay for sustainability going to come from?
Itâs unsustainable.
It appears that Governments in Europe are willing to spit in some money to develop the technology to make more environmentally friendly vessels in local and short sea trade viable.
Likewise, banks and finance institutions are willing to finance the building of such vessels and shipowners are willing to do their part towards a common goal of sustainability.
The cost of operating modern wind assisted short sea ships with modern fuel efficient propulsion, enhanced hull shape and other cost reducing technologies, are not higher than to operate older inefficient vessels in the same, or similar trade:
I like the new rigid-sail designs on smaller ships. Letâs see how they pan out financially these next few years. The game changer may be using them in conjunction with weather forecasting software to plan routes.
Yes that is how it is done, especially on long ocean voyages: