Rolldock Shipping News

In the first of a series of marine industry sector reviews, MR&EN correspondent Tom Mulligan reports on the latest innovations in heavy lifting machinery technology with a selective overview of new product launches and recent equipment installations on board ships, ferries and workboats, as well as in ports, docks, harbors and shipping terminals worldwide. Markey Machinery’s Render/Recover and Asymmetric Render/Recover ‘active heave’ compensating winches have been recognized as…

RollDock Shipping B.V. (part of the Roll Group) confirmed the purchase of their 7th vessel, the MV RollDock Sky. This is the third semi-submersible multipurpose heavy lift vessel bought from Larsen & Toubro India. She will go directly into service after some upgrades. After RollDock and L&T ended their cooperation in 2013, L&T continued building a third semi-submersible multipurpose heavy lift vessel. During visits to the L&T yard by RollDock staff, RollDock was impressed by the quality and progress. Despite moderate market conditions, the Management, Supervisory Board and Shareholders decided to purchase the vessel and to name her MV RollDock Sky. The MV RollDock Sky is a sister vessel to MV RollDock Sun and MV RollDock Sea.

Shipbuilding orders were rather less the past week, but there were notable contracts for specialised heavy-lift carriers from Chinese shipbuilders, according to the Clarkson Hellas S&P Weekly Bulletin round-up. Limited ordering to report this week in dry say Clarkson, with the focus very much being on the smaller sizes. Starting with the larger of these, Parakou Shipping have declared a further four options for 64,000 DWT Ultramax at Chengxi taking the total series to eight vessels. Delivery of these latest vessels from end 2015. In the Handysize dry bulk carrier market, Interlink have placed a new order for five firm plus five options 38,500 DWT bulkers at Kouan Shipbuilding.

Fabricating the large components of capital projects far from the final job site has a profound effect on the supply chain. Building these extremely heavy, out-of-gauge modules offsite and transporting them to their final destination relieves some headaches for project managers – but creates others. The current issue of Breakbulk Magazine examines the crucial roles that early planning and clear communication play in the successful transport of this increasingly standard project cargo. Reportedly, planning for module transport needs to begin as early as the design and manufacturing process, according to  Wout van der Zwan, managing director of RollDock Shipping. The method hastens installation but doubles planning time, adds Dick Knoll, principal with Drexel Logistics.