Vertom Group had its second 7000 DWT vessel of the LABRAX type launched and christened at Thecla Bodewes Shipyards on 23 February. The Vertom Cyta is the second of eight vessels being constructed at the yard facility in Kampen, the Netherlands.
The Vertom Group is one of the leading short sea shipping operators within Europe and is working on expanding its fleet. Originally, the company ordered six vessels of the LABRAX type, but in early February, the order was extended to include two more.
The Vertom Cyta follows the Vertom Patty, which was delivered in December, and is named after Cyta de Jong, wife of Vertom CEO Arjan de Jong. Mrs. De Jong also performed the christening of the vessel, gave a lively speech and broke a bottle of champagne against the bow of the ship, as tradition dictates.
‘We are pleased about the ongoing collaboration with Thecla Bodewes Shipyards and all suppliers, which has lately been extended to an order of eight 7000 DWT diesel-electric multi-purpose dry cargo vessels,’ says says Vertom CEO Arjan de Jong. ‘Having the second vessel, MV Vertom Cyta, launched today, is a testament to our commitment to sustainable shipping and our vision for the future of our industry. We are proud to have Cyta de Jong christen the MV Vertom Cyta and we look forward to many successful voyages ahead.’
Also read: Vertom orders two more LABRAX vessels from Thecla Bodewes Shipyards
Diesel-electric
The MV Vertom Cyta features a diesel-electric propulsion system, which offers superior efficiency and reduced emissions, making it a more sustainable option for shipping operations. The vessel has been designed to meet the highest environmental standards, while also providing the highest levels of performance and reliability.
The system distributes the vessel’s energy load more efficiently, by using several smaller engines that adjust to the current sailing profile for the most efficient combustion. This hybrid concept is designed to be ready for future developments, by means of the ability to make the vessel’s propulsion methanol-electric or hydrogen-electric.
The detailed engineering was performed by Thecla Bodewes Shipyards in close collaboration with Groot Ship Design. The vessels are 118.60 metres long and 14.30 metres wide. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) optimisation of the hull design was performed for a fuel-efficient speed-power performance.
Also read: Thecla Bodewes Shipyards delivers first of six multi-purpose vessels to Vertom
Towards zero-emission shipping
Thecla Bodewes, CEO of Thecla Bodewes Shipyards: ‘Our company efforts in the search for sustainable solutions towards zero emission shipping definitely sees a further continuation in these 7000 DWT vessels. The vessel’s systems are selected to be adapted at a later stage, which is a great advantage for shipowners like Vertom who want to contribute towards the transition to a zero-emission shipping sector.’
The MV Vertom Cyta will be commissioned in Kampen in the coming weeks followed by sea trials in the North Sea. Delivery is scheduled for mid April.
Also read: VIDEO: Thecla Bodewes Shipyards launches first of 7000-DWT LABRAX series for Vertom
