Rickmers Singapore, one of nine new Superflex Heavy Multi-Purpose Container (MPC) vessels being built in China for Rickmers-Linie, Hamburg, was christened on September 5, 2003 in its
namesake city Singapore. Rickmers Singapore is employed on Rickmers' Round-The-World Pearl String Service having been delivered to the company in March 2003.
The ship has since proven its reliability and is now performing its second circumnavigation. On its christening call, the vessel discharged among other cargo 12 modules, each of which had a unit weight between 130 and 145 tons.
Karin Gänger, wife of Ulf Gänger, former Director of the Hamburgische Landesbank (now HSH Nordbank), acted as the vessel's godmother. Subsequent to the ceremony, guests hopped aboard for a closer look at the latest technology in ship design and, in particular, heavy cargo handling equipment.
Rickmers Singapore and sisterships are currently the most modern MPC vessels on the market. With their identical layouts the vessels boast adjustable tweendecks, a heavy-lift capacity of up to 640 tons and dehumidifying devices in all holds. All-encompassing, Rickmers-Linie ordered nine vessels, of which the seventh – Rickmers New Orleans – was just delivered in July 2003. The new fleet will be complete when the deliveries of Rickmers Jakarta and Rickmers Genoa occur in November 2003 and early 2004, respectively.