Tailor-made Combi Freighter ‘Hoogvliet’ launched.
DAMEN Shipyards Group daughter Damen Shipyards Bergum can be proud of the delivery of Damen Combi Freighter 3850 ‘Hoogvliet’. The carrier for oversized cargo was launched at Cruise Terminal Rotterdam last Saturday by lady sponsor Annefleur Janssen. She is the daughter of one of the participants of the business alliance, which will deploy the vessel in European waters. The main participants are Hartel Shipping and Hudig & Veder. Both have expressed their satisfaction with the way Damen Shipyards Bergum met their specific demands.
Business concept
In turn, the shipbuilder’s sales manager Remko Bouma acclaims the unique collaboration between an ‘old’ company such as Hudig & Veder and Hartel Shipping and their expert logistics stakeholders, thus providing the proper conditions for tailor-made production and delivery. Damen’s customer has chosen for a compact limited partnership (LP) structure to invest in a series of four carriers to be deployed in parcel service for the oversized cargo industry to carry smaller volume project cargo.
Hudig & Veder MD and owner Lex Fontein says that the added value of the LP construction consists of the participants and their input of knowhow and knowledge from an international perspective of the trade, and their easy-going collaboration. The participants of the limited partnership are a leading stevedore, a shipper and others with affinity for the maritime industry.
Cost efficiency
For cost effective reasons those involved have chosen for relatively lower tonnage vessels. “Costs of those are many times lower than of deploying 10,000 tonnes carriers calling ports”, Hartel Shipping MD John Brobbel observes. “It is obvious that smaller vessels can call at smaller ports, although those of ours also call the ports of Antwerp, Hamburg and ports in the Baltic, starting from Rotterdam.”
In fact, customers in the niche market that Hartel Shipping and Hudig & Veder serve have rewarded the joined tailor-made work of both client and shipyard. Brobbel mentions that the shipbuilder has really paid attention to the remarks of those who assigned newbuilding, the remarks of technical manager Peter Kroezen of Kroezen Shipsupport in particular. Besides the Hoogvliet, he also was involved in the newbuilding of the three other vessels in the series.
Series delivered
Earlier Damen delivered the Geervliet, the Heenvliet and the Haringvliet, and recently the Hoogvliet, which has a DWT of 3,800 tonnes, 8.43 metres hull height and a tween deck on half height. The client was involved in the newbuilding of the Haringvliet and the Hoogvliet from a very early stage, thus being able to make its requirements known from the start. The result of the joined efforts is that Damen Shipyards Bergum together with Hartel Shipping and Hudig & Veder provided made-to-measure work, delivered at a competitive price.
In that respect Damen sales manager Bouma mentions optimising the design of the Hoogvliet through fitting tween decks to achieve maximum efficiency, maximum fuel capacity, a larger bow thruster for improved manoeuvrability and a larger crew accommodation thus providing more space and comfort for the crew. Damen aims at the maximum to think along with the client about adjusting certain aspects on board already deployed vessels. Bouma in conclusion: “One can think of economical use of fuel, anticipation of legislation for treatment of ballast water, complying with emission directives and related issues. We provide the conditions for our customers to be geared up for the future, through technique and completion of our product.”