Innovative Containership Widening Project Completed [PHOTOS]

We’ve heard of ship lengthening, however German delivery firm REEDEREI NSB is endeavor an modern new mission to widen three of its Panamax containerships.

The first of the three ships, MSC Geneva, was efficiently widened on the HRDD shipyard in China.

REEDEREI NSB says that widening mission will enhance the TEU capability of the ships by 20% and enhance stability, whereas working prices will stay the identical. The firm provides that the IMO Energy Efficiency Design Index achieved might be equal to that of a newbuilding.

REEDEREI NSB got here up with the thought to widen containership in the summertime of 2013, kicking off feasibility research that analyzed the thought from a technical and financial standpoint.

“We all quickly realized that what we had there was a one-of-a-kind concept,” mentioned CTO Lutz Müller. “A central element of our innovation is that we cut the ship in low-use areas. The widening significantly increases both the load carrying capacity and the transverse stability. In addition, sustainability – an aspect that is getting ever more important in shipping – is increased too. Carbon emissions per ton of cargo will be substantially reduced. Moreover, converting a ship instead of scrapping it will be less harmful to the environment than building a new ship. ”

REEDEREI NSB says the widening presents delivery firms and buyers extra choices. Apart from changing ships of present fleets, buying a used ship and having it widened is less expensive than ordering a brand new one. It can also be quicker to understand. The widening of the MSC Geneva was anticipated to take 4 months, and the subsequent two conversions might be carried out even quicker, the corporate says.

Depending on the ship, the widening can add between two and 4 container rows. In the case of MSC Geneva, its capability might be elevated from 4,860 TEU to over 6,300 TEU.

The mission was carried out with classification society DNV GL.

“We were extremely pleased to have been given the opportunity to work with NSB on this project from its beginning,” says Marcus Ihms, container ship professional at DNV GL. “As this is a major conversion we worked intensively with NSB, the yard and flag state authorities to ensure that all of the applicable environmental and safety rules were met. But we believe that this is a solution that allows forward thinking owners to keep their vessels competitive in the market for longer.”

Following the profitable completion of MSC Geneva, HRDD will now start engaged on containerships Buxhai and MSC Carouge.

“Candidates for the widening are Panamax ships delivered after 2005. We believe that the market potential is big. The enquiries we received in the past months indicate that the special know-how we have acquired is very much in demand,” says Bozidar Petrovic, who heads and helps the primary widening mission at HRDD on web site.