New RoRos for Airbus

Höegh Autoliners AS together with Louis Dreyfus Armateurs S.A.S. (LDA) expand their commitments to Airbus by ordering two additional special purpose RoRo carriers for long term employment to Airbus. Höegh Autoliners and LDA have, through a jointly owned French subsidiary, entered into agreements with Airbus for the transportation of A 380 components between Hamburg, Cadiz, Mostyn, St. Nazaire and Bordeaux. The time charters have a duration of 20 years and can be extended by up to 10 more years. The agreements involve the ordering of two advanced RoRo vessels at Singapore Technology Marine (STM). The vessel specifications make them suited to carry both aircraft components and other RoRo cargo. The vessels will be delivered in the second and fourth quarters 2008 and fly European community flag. They will be somewhat smaller and with reduced draft compared to the Ville de Bordeaux already employed by Airbus for the same purpose. Ville de Bordeaux was delivered in April 2004 and has serviced the logistics system supplying airplane parts to the A380 production. With a growing order-book for the A380, Airbus requires more capacity to carry inbound parts and components. The Airbus A380 being assembled in Toulouse, France, is the world's largest commercial aircraft.