Damen Shipyards Group’s Damen Yichang Shipyard in China has delivered the second of four Combi Freighters (CF) 3850 to Reederei Bernd Sibum following successful sea trials in Shanghai.
The new generation CF 3850 vessels are designed for high efficiency. In their standard form the vessels are able to sail on 100% biofuel and are prepared for hybrid propulsion. Reederei Bernd Sibum has received funding from the German Government, which has enabled it to invest in adding further sustainable features to its vessels. The NaMKü (Nachhaltige Modernisierung von Küstenschiffen / sustainable modernisation of coastal ships), awarded by the Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport (BMDV), aims to reduce the environmental footprint of short sea shipping. The green modifications of these vessels are jointly funded by the NaMKü programme and the vessel owner, with Mare Trust of Oldenburg, Germany, taking the lead on the equity side. As a result of this, the four vessels will feature hybrid propulsion with a PTO/PTI system, providing the opportunity to sail with zero emissions for a period of time, as well as shore power connection capabilities when in port.
Additionally, the vessels will have Econowind Ventifoils fitted, which are expected to reduce fuel consumption by a further 12.5%. The already-completed first vessel in this series is scheduled to undergo this process at Damen Shiprepair Harlingen shortly after arrival in Europe.
For the project, Damen undertook Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing of the onboard systems and automation. With this, Damen connects the actual hardware to be used in the vessels to a simulated, virtual environment. This enables safe, repetitive testing, adjustment and validation prior to construction, resulting in efficient commissioning and ensuring the vessel meets expectations from the outset.
The CF 3850 vessels are being installed with the Damen Triton system which collects and analyses data from thousands of sensors located around the vessels. This allows the operator to optimise sailing in real time, and provides feedback that Damen uses to inform the ongoing evolution of its designs over successive generations.
Reederei Bernd Sibum MD Bern Sibum said: “With these vessels, it was our intention to actively pursue improvement. This meant doing something to safeguard the environment, but also to create a vessel that was advantageous to charterers and comfortable for crew. When we presented our ideas to Damen, they were very professional. They listened closely to what we had to say and very quickly came back with a proposal to meet our goals. I was also very impressed on visiting Damen’s location in China The facility is of a very high standard and the workforce is very positive and committed. The collaboration between the colleagues in Yichang, the Netherlands, and our team has worked very well, and has been an important factor in the high quality and finish of the vessels.”
Remko Bouma, Commercial Director, Damen Cargo Vessels, added: “From the very start, our cooperation with Reederei Bernd Sibum has been very good. I’m particularly grateful to the company for our positive discussions, including on how we could do some things differently. To get the operator’s perspective on these matters is invaluable for us as shipbuilders, and will contribute enormously to the continued development of our designs.”
Image: Damen CF 3850 Combi Freighter (source: Damen Shipyards)
