The fourth and final 'W' series of newbuilds for Arklow Shipping was launched earlier this month, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Arklow Wood was successfully launched at the Ferus Smit's shipyard in Leer, Germany.

As Afloat reported a previous sister Arklow Willow was launched last year though the 'Wind' is the first to be used in the owners naming scheme for this series.

The Arklow Wood took to the waters on 3rd April and will fly the Irish flag. As for design the cargoship is an enlarged version of the 8500dwt ships that the shipyard delivered to Arklow Shipping in the past.  The cargoship in comparison with these predecessors has almost twice the carrying capacity of 16,500dwt.

As for propulsion the newbuild is equipped with a 3840kW main engine in order to achieve low fuel consumption.

The design features:
– Main dimensions (Loa X B X T) 149.50 X 19.25 X 8.59 mtr.
– 16500 DWT, 700.000 cft hold volume.
– Iceclass 1A with 3840kW main engine.
– 2 box shaped holds.
– Propeller equipped with a duct for enhanced thrust at lower speeds and reduction of maximum installed propulsion power.

A previous 'W' series of a different design and all since disposed had been the first newbuilds for ASL to be ordered from a shipyard outside Europe, having been built in South Korea. This series however only totalled a trio and all using the same ship names now applied to the new series comprising of leadship Arklow Wave, Wind and Willow.

Another recent newbuild, Arklow Ace launched last month and belonging to the 'A'  series was also built by the same German group but at their Ferus Smit yard at Westerbroek, The Netherlands. The newbuild has recently left the inland yard under the Irish flag. 

The fleet of ASL including its Dutch division totals almost 60 dry-cargo vessels among them deep-sea bulk-carriers.