First Of The Capesize Bulkers From Harland &Wolff

In mid-January, the 162,000 dwt capesize bulk carrier Erradale was named at Belfast's Harland & Wolff (H&W). This is the first time for many years that shipowner China Navigation Co. (CNC), part of Hong Kong's John Swire Group, has built in the U.K., the original order being part of an expected series of six such vessels to be delivered to CNC and U.K. based shipowner Cenargo, each company taking three ships each. However, the Cenargo three and two of the CNC ships were eventually cancelled due to the lowering of freight rates in the bulk trades, leaving just one ship on order.

H&W's own shipowning arm, Trassey Shipping, will take delivery of the second vessel later this year, both this ship and the CNC vessel being chartered to Belgium operator CODAM, the CNC ship for one year with various options, and the Trassey ship for seven years. Meanwhile, H&W is busy with another of the suezmax double skin tankers, of which the yard has built a series for Norwegian shipowner Fred Olsen, who also has a majority shareholding in the shipyard. The latest tanker is for First Olsen Tanker (Bermuda) Ltd. The Erradale is the prototype of H&W's new S162 series of capesize bulk carriers, the yard hoping for a pick-up in the bulk trades to enable further newbuildings to be sold. The ship is of a high standard; the quality, safety and potential second-hand price of the vessel attracting CNC to the design. The main features of the vessel are the 65 percent mild steel content for additional hull strengthening (an important factor when considering the number of bulkers being lost at sea over the past few years), increased scantlings in tanktop, hopper sides and transverse bulkheads, strain gauges, computerized maintenance management, and the advanced International Paint epoxy coating systems throughout the vessel. The cargo system comprises nine cargo holds, each fitted with a sophisticated fixed cargo washing unit and a programmable deck washing system, additional electric generation capacity, and a one man bridge operation, specially-designed by the owner and containing an integrated navigation system.

The main propulsion system consists of a Hyundai-built B&W/ MAN low speed diesel engine type 6S70MC, designed to burn low grade bunker fuel up to 700 Cst at a fuel consumption rate of 125g PS/h. This enables the vessel to operate at speeds up to 15.5 knots. For more information on the new S162 capesize bulk carrier series from Harland & Wolff,