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Displaying items by tag: Newest Gclass

Newbuild Arklow Grace, the fourth of Arklow Shipping's G-class cargo ship's launched in the Netherlands, took place on the same day when another vessel for the Irish shipowner also first took to the water, writes Jehan Ashmore.

At the shipyard of Ferus Smit is where Arklow Grace of 5,150dwt at the Westerbroek yard on Friday, was launched as the penultimate newbuild of 5 ships to serve Arklow Shipping Nederland B.V.

Likewise of the series so far completed, Arkow Grace will be registered in Rotterdam.

To the east of the shipyard near Groningen, just several kilometres along the Winschoterdiep Canal, is rival Royal Bodewes which Afloat reported the launch of Arklow Resolve in Hoogezand. This newbuild is the fifth of seven Eco-Trader/R-class cargo-ships, each of 6,800dwt on order to Arklow Shipping Ltd, Co. Wicklow.

As for Ferus Smit built Arklow Grace, there is a maximized hold volume of 220.000 cublic feet (cft) carried in a single hold within a 84m length overall (LOA) hull. Propulsion is generated from a 1,600 kW MaK engine driving a single-ducted propeller which is to deliver 10 knots.

The previous trio of the G class are Arklow’s Gem, Glen and Globe, the latter cargo ship launched in October, are also equipped with an electric bow-thruster of 275kW to assist berthing.

When Arklow Grace is delivered, the newbuild will join the vessels of the Dutch division fleet and increase the total to twenty vessels.

Published in Arklow Shipping

Coastal Notes Coastal Notes covers a broad spectrum of stories, events and developments in which some can be quirky and local in nature, while other stories are of national importance and are on-going, but whatever they are about, they need to be told.

Stories can be diverse and they can be influential, albeit some are more subtle than others in nature, while other events can be immediately felt. No more so felt, is firstly to those living along the coastal rim and rural isolated communities. Here the impact poses is increased to those directly linked with the sea, where daily lives are made from earning an income ashore and within coastal waters.

The topics in Coastal Notes can also be about the rare finding of sea-life creatures, a historic shipwreck lost to the passage of time and which has yet many a secret to tell. A trawler's net caught hauling more than fish but cannon balls dating to the Napoleonic era.

Also focusing the attention of Coastal Notes, are the maritime museums which are of national importance to maintaining access and knowledge of historical exhibits for future generations.

Equally to keep an eye on the present day, with activities of existing and planned projects in the pipeline from the wind and wave renewables sector and those of the energy exploration industry.

In addition Coastal Notes has many more angles to cover, be it the weekend boat leisure user taking a sedate cruise off a long straight beach on the coast beach and making a friend with a feathered companion along the way.

In complete contrast is to those who harvest the sea, using small boats based in harbours where infrastructure and safety poses an issue, before they set off to ply their trade at the foot of our highest sea cliffs along the rugged wild western seaboard.

It's all there, as Coastal Notes tells the stories that are arguably as varied to the environment from which they came from and indeed which shape people's interaction with the surrounding environment that is the natural world and our relationship with the sea.