#VesselValeVisits – Leadship of Arklow Shipping’s newest and only cargsoship currently in service out of 10 vessels ordered, Arklow Vale is understood to have made her maiden call to the island of Ireland, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 2,999grt cargoship had berthed in the Port of Belfast from where she departed the Herdmand Channel yesterday. Later that day ASL’s ‘R’ class cargoship Arklow Ranger docked at the same part of the port's estate on the Co. Antrim side of the Northern Ireland capital. This also Dutch built cargoship launched from the yard of Bijlsma Lemmer in 2002, had arrived from Gijon in northern Spain.

Overnight the Arklow Vale built to a design from the yard of Royal Bodewes own 5,100dwt Trader Series, had sailed southbound through the Irish Sea. As of this morning the 87m long vessel exited St. Georges Channel into the Celtic Sea.

Arklow Vale is bound for Terneuzen, Netherlands to where despite her career which only begin last month, the cargoship had visited this port en-route to Ghent in Belgium while on a maiden voyage from Delfzijl.

The Dutch port on the Ems Estuary, provided a base for sea-trials and is likely to be the case for second sister, Arklow View.

Afloat reported yesterday that this latest newbuild launched from the inland yard of Royal Bodewes located near Groningen, is to be handed over at Delfzijl and be given a naming ceremony.

The roll-out of the ‘V’ class newbuilds will continue to provide ASL through its subsidiary Arklow Shipping B.V. Nederland, in the transportation of cargoes. Among the cargoes that the overall fleet of 45 ships in between them can carry are in the bulk grain trades, steel rails, minerals and containers.