Concordia Damen will deliver two CDS Dry Cargo 110 vessels to Amer Shipping. The hull shape is based on the Parsifal type tanker, which will allow the vessels to sail longer at (very) low water levels, which is predicted to occur often in the coming years.
Amer Shipping already has a fleet of 57 vessels, including owned tankers, dry cargo and container vessels as well as associated ships. The company transports approximately 8 million tonnes of cargo per year, mainly raw materials for construction projects and project cargo for various industries. Amer Shipping is mainly active in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland and is now expanding its fleet and seeking to make it more sustainable.
‘We have been working on making our daily operations more sustainable for some time now,’ says inland shipping entrepreneur Peter Buijks, co-owner of Amer Shipping. ‘New ships must match this effort. These two bulk carriers are based on Concordia Damen’s Parsifal tankers and a lot of research has been done on them, such as speed versus fuel consumption, resistance and future adaptability. For example, we’ll install Stage V engines and shaft generators.’
Also read: Concordia Damen to deliver Parsifal tanker to Quinto Shipping
Based on the Parsifal tanker
This ship type measures 110 x 11.45 metres and can transport a lot of tonnage at a low draught, which is especially beneficial at low tide and shallow water levels. In addition, the ship has a relatively small footprint, because it can sail faster with lower fuel consumption due to its low resistance.
‘The design of the lower section is the same as that of our Parsifal Tankers,’ says Pieter Baggerman, Naval Architect at Concordia Damen. ‘That type has an optimised hull shape. It works really well and so we have applied the same design principles to our container and bulk carriers and with the same results.’
Also read: Concordia Damen launches first of forty Parsifal tankers
Suitable for low water levels
That was also decisive in the choice that Amer Shipping made for their newbuilds. Peter Buijks: ‘The CDS Dry Cargo 110 transports no less than 200 tonnes more cargo compared to an existing “110” in our fleet. At the same time, fuel consumption and emissions are reduced due to the low resistance. In addition, we can continue sailing with it for longer periods in water levels of 1.15 metres, although the ship is of course not fully loaded in those circumstances. That gave us the confidence to contract these vessels.’
He adds: ‘Moreover, in Germany there are not only draught restrictions, but also many waterways spanned by low bridges. Due to the favourable air draught of these ships, we can sail under bridges of 4.30 metres with a draft of 2.50 metres. This way we can continue to do business in a responsible manner in different circumstances.’
As Concordia Damen is building some of its designs for stock, deliveries of the vessels for Amer Shipping are expected in June and at the end of 2023.
