Aker Yards to build Six Containerships

Aker Yards has been awarded a contract by Reederei F. Laeisz GmbH in Rostock (Germany) to build six container ships of the newly developed type Aker CS 2800. The total contract value is approximately EUR 245 million. Delivery by Aker Yards in Germany is scheduled between the fourth quarter of 2009 and the third quarter of 2010. The contract is subject to financing.

Aker Yards has previously delivered four container vessels to F. Laeisz. Tom Einertsen, President of the Merchant Vessels business area says: "We are very pleased that the highly reputed F. Laeisz again has placed its confidence in us. Even if Aker Yards, Merchant Vessels is strongly focusing more on specialized vessels, the container ships with new design will still be a part of our product offering."

The newly developed type Aker CS 2800 will be built under the slogan Smart - Green - Efficient. Smart meaning good technical solutions by adapting the vessels to special requirements of the customer, such as optimal gearing, a maximum in reefer sockets, a good access to the reefer containers, lash bridges as well as the opportunity to extend the radius of action. Green meaning good characteristics concerning environmental protection by efficient energy management, protected fuel tank arrangement without any contact with the shell of the hull, HFO service tanks for low sulphur HFO and an efficient ballast water management. Efficient meaning reduced service costs by optimized hull form and propeller design as well as increased container stowage capacity and deadweight.