Europe's largest short-sea cargoship operator, Wilson ASA of Norway which transport annually about 15 million tonnes in dry cargo across the continent, have chartered in the Wilson Flex III, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 4,282dwt cargo ship built last year is the fourth project vessel which Wilson ASA, the Bergen-based operator have taken on long term charter from Arkon Shipping Shipping GmbH & Co. KG based in Haren-Ems, Germany. 

Wilson ASA have a fleet of around 130 vessels ranging from 1,500-8,500dwt and each year the cargo ships approximately make 10,000 port calls. The Hanse Eco class vessel joins the rest of the class within the large dry-cargo based fleet. 

Wilson Flex III's design allows for transporting cargo with and without hatch covers, making the vessel suitable for transporting both high and heavy project cargo.

The 'open-topped' boxed vessel has a capacity for 192,818 cubic feet (cbft) and today the 88.5m vessel is in the Bay of Biscay having departed St. Nazaire, France.

The Hanse Eco class have the technology to reduce up to 50 % in CO2 emissions when compared to competitor vessels operating in the market today. They are also equipped with an electric motor and a waste gas treatment unit.

Afloat has previously tracked the Hanse Eco series in Irish ports in addition to another Wilson open topped cargoship, Wilson Finnfjord which departed Dublin Port on Sunday.

The 4,275dwt had berthed at the Deep Water Berth otherwise known as the 'Coal' berth located adjacent to the Hammond Lane Metal Company where scrap metal is exported by cargo ships notably to northern Spain.

This morning, Afloat tracked the 194,548 cbft vessel in the English Channel bound for Beverwijk, the Netherlands.

Also berthed ahead in Dublin Port of the Barbados-flagged vessel was another dry-cargo vessel operated by short-sea competitor, Arklow Shipping whose 'F' class Spanish built Arklow Fern of 4,950dwt had sailed from Workington, Cumbria (read more on ASL's related cementing story) in the north-west England port. 

The 89m cargo ship built in 2010, is one of a quartet of the class which remain in service within ASL's fleet of Irish flagged short-sea traders. 

Arklow Fern is scheduled to depart tonight while Wilson Goole in ballast is this morning at anchor in Dublin Bay, having sailed from Le Treport, Normandy, France.