One of Arklow Shipping Ltd's oldest cargo ships of the first ‘R’ class, Arklow Rogue with almost 24 years service, has been sold to Norwegian rival Wilson ASA with around 130 ships is Europe's largest short-sea operator, writes Jehan Ashmore.

During a routine review yesterday of the ASL website with its fleet-list of 57 vessels, it was immediately apparent that of the three remaining original 'R' class ordered by ASL, just two are left from an original 16 cargo ships. They formed as the single largest ever newbuild class of ships built for an Irish shipowner since the foundation of the Republic.

Currently, the combined fleet of Irish and Dutch flagged vessels, are all built after 2010, with the exception of the Arklow Rogue dating to 2007 as also is the case with the remaining R class pair, Arklow Raider and Arklow Raven.

An AIS of Arklow Rogue led to the vessel’s location, the Dutch port of Rotterdam, where the 89m cargo ship renamed Wilson Pola is also reflagged to the Norwegian International Ship Register or NIS. On the day before, Monday (18th Feb.) a short-sea passage was made from the northern French port of Dunkirk, where it may suggest the transfer of the cargo ship took place between the shipping companies, given the date appears with the Wilson Pola as listed on the Bergen based operator’s website.

It is not surprising the disposal of the Arklow Rogue, as ASL replaces ageing tonnage while continuing to modernise their fleet among them two newbuilds alone were launched on the same day just last month. This involved Arklow Resolve, of this new generation of 'R' class /6,800dwt Eco-Trader's from the Royal Bodewes shipyard and Arklow Grace, representing the G class of 5,150dwt from Ferus Smit’s Westerbroek yard also in The Netherlands, noting these newbuilds are to serve Arklow Shipping Nederland B.V. based in Rotterdam.

Arklow Rogue joins another former fleetmate, Arklow Rainbow also an old R class as Afloat reported last year was sold to Wilson ASA in a fleet that ranges between 1,500-8,500dwt. Noting their trading area is throughout Europe entirely, from the Barents Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south, through the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Irish Sea, Biscay of Biscay, and the Mediterranean Sea. Though ASL, (unlike Wilson), have the capacity capability of operating deep-sea globally with use of larger vessels, ranging from 16,000dwt to 34,000dwt, the latter category involves twin ‘S’ class bulk-carriers that also fly the Irish tricolor.  

In recent years, Wilson have introduced newbuilds, the ‘Flexible’ Hanse Eco-Trader class featuring cargo hold options (with and without hatch covers) and have 14 newbuilds on order, with the 3,800dwt future-proof cargo ships that focus on environmental benefits.

On arrival yesterday to Rotterdam is where Wilson have an office and the original berth of Wilson Pola had taken place adjacent of the New Waterway, but downriver of the Hoek-van-Holland, Stena Line’s terminal for the North Sea route to Harwich. It was noted today, however that the newly renamed vessel shifted berths further inland to Rozenburg, a district of the giant port which is Europe's largest.

As for the UK east coast port of Harwich, the ferryport was served until recently by ropax Stena Horizon, one of two Rosslare-Cherbourg ferries, which was on the North Sea route providing extended relief-duty. Last Thursday, Stena Horizon was however on the Irish Sea, in freight-only mode having inaugurated Stena Line’s new Dublin-Birkenhead (Liverpool) freight route, though this ship's role is temporary, as Stena is to deploy a permanent freight-ferry and plan to operate with a two-ship service on the central corridor route.

Interestingly, ASL had a role too in operating ferries, albeit on a coastal / domestic basis when the Cork Harbour based Cross River Ferries which almost a year ago celebrated its 30th anniverary, was founded in a joint venture with Marine Transport Services, owned by Doyle Shipping Group (DSG).

The Co. Wicklow shipowner’s stake in the twin-ferry operated service however was bought out by DSG in 2007.