Following delivery of two Combi Freighters 3850 to German ship owner Blue Fin Shipping, Damen Shipyards Group has received an order for an additional four of these cargo vessels.
The first two vessels, Unitas-H and Solitas-H, are in operation in European shortsea trades, transporting a variety of cargoes like steel, woodpulp, grain, fertiliser in bulk or bags. These are the first two operational CF 3850 vessels built to the new and improved design from Damen.
The first CF 3850 Unitas-H was delivered to Blue Fin Shipping in January 2021 within six weeks from signing the order, from stock at Damen Shipyards Yichang in China. The vessel sailed for Malaysia where she took on cargo and departed for Rotterdam. Throughout the voyage the owner and Damen monitored the vessel with regard to its fuel consumption, speed and weather conditions. Analysis of the data confirmed that the vessel’s fuel consumption had not only improved significantly compared to the older designs, but that she also had done so while maintaining a very acceptable sustained speed in the face of head winds and seas while fully loaded.
After this success, shortly after the arrival at the North Sea port, a contract was signed for the second vessel of the same design, this one to be named Solitas-H. The ship was delivered from stock in August 2021. Client satisfaction and good cooperation with Damen Shipyards have led to even more new orders: for two more CF 3850, Baltic Fin and Bothnia Fin to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2022. And then two more vessels of the same design were ordered, Bering Fin and Biscay Fin, to be delivered in the third quarter of 2023.
Blue Fin Shipping aims to set new standards in short sea shipping for economic and ecological performance. The company aims to be ahead of competition by meeting current and future environmental protection criteria. Blue Fin Shipping implements cloud based fleet management tools to achieve real time reporting for quick decision making. This results in maximised efficiency, profitability and sustainability while minimising risk.
Blue Fin CEO Peter Hinsch said: “The vessel is fulfilling its expected performance in fuel consumption and quality, even in rough seas. Charterers are happy with reduced fuel consumption. We were happy with the size of the vessel and its hold on the previous versions of the CF 3850. This has not changed in the new design, Cooperation with Damen is professional, quick and reliable. the Damen team finds a solution for any complication that appears. This feels like working with friends who trust each other 100%.”
Damen says it is continuously improving the design of the group’s best-selling CF3850. The current optimisation materialises a big step forward with a focus on lowering emissions and reducing fuel consumption. This has been achieved through the optimisation of the hull lines and introducing new efficiencies in the way that energy is used on board. The specification of the design has been brought up to the latest standards with regard to the regulations governing ballast water treatment, Tier III NOx emissions and other recently mandated operational requirements. These modifications have resulted in notable improvements in its EEDI and Environmental Ship Index (ESI) ratings.
While the dimensions and tonnage of the new CF 3850 are similar to those of its predecessor, the re-design has enabled reduction of its installed main engine power from 1,520 kW to 1,104kW as the power needed to propel it at 10 knots fully laden has dropped more than equivalent of the power reduction. Damen Shipyards Group has delivered more than 80 vessels of this type to customers since it was first introduced.
Ronnie Hulstrøm, CEO Baltic Shipping Company, which has chartered Solitas H said: “Together with our business partners Blue-Fin, we have managed to accelerate our strategy of offering greener transport solutions to our clients. The Solitas-H design is state of the art. The low consumption, the tween-deck and excellent stability are ideal for our trade.”
Remko Bouma, Commercial director Damen Cargo Vessels, said: “We are delighted that the owner has taken the first two Combi Freighters into operation and was so pleased with their performance, that they ordered four more of the same design. The Damen Combi Freighter 3850 has for some years been a reliable and cost efficient work horse for our customers and, following these positive results, we look forward to building more of these vessels so that owners can benefit from this improved performance on fuel consumption and emissions in todays and future market.”
