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Displaying items by tag: Arklow acquistion

#Ports&Shipping - Arklow Shipping have added yet another former Flinter Group B.V. cargoship to their 50 plus strong fleet with acquisition of a fourth 11,048dwt sister that was recently handed over in Malta, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The latest addition Arklow Dusk previously named America had arrived to Valleta's Grand Harbour in mid-May. The original grey hull colours of Flinter Group (which went bankrupt in 2016), still remained as the vessel moored in the Mediterranean island's capital port.

At the time of the bankruptcy Flinter owned 28 vessels. This saw operations involved navigating areas comprising the Atlantic region, the east coast of America and South America.

In the interim period up to January last year, the 132m double-hold cargoship launched as Flinteramerica had transferred to another Groningen based shipping managment company.

The secondhand tonnage follows the initial acquisition in Autumn last year of a pair of sisters and third sister Arklow Dale joining the fleet last month. The quartet were all built by Ferus Smits' Dutch yard in Westerbroek between 2010 and 2011.

Afloat has tracked down Arklow Dusk which today is making a maiden delivery repositioning voyage from the Mediterenean Sea to north-western Europe.

The Irish flagged cargoship equipped with deck mounted gantry cranes, had departed Marina di Carrera, Italy in late May. The port south of La Spezia is on the Ligurian Sea. This afternoon the cargoship is heading for the Bristol Channel bound for Avonmouth Docks.

Likewise of the Dusk's 'D' class sisters, they are all classed with Bureau Veritas and among the class notations, the quartet are designated with Ice Class Finnish 1A, permitting them to operate icy Baltic Sea conditions.

The ship's main engine is a Mak 8M32 from which propulsion is driven through acontrollable pitch propeller delivering a speed of around 14.1knots. For added in port assistance is a 573kw bow-thruster.

Flinter's fleet at its peak had 50 ships, consisting of multipurpose and container feeder vessels, varying in size from 3,000 to 11,000 tonnes. The range was similar to ASL albeit based only from those of the smallest short-sea traders of 4,000 tonnes.

ASL operate considereably larger vessels involving the 14,000 tonnes  'M' class bulk-carrier and the largest in the fleet a pair of 34,000 tonnes deep sea 'S' class bulk-carriers.

 

Published in Arklow Shipping

Ferry & Car Ferry News The ferry industry on the Irish Sea, is just like any other sector of the shipping industry, in that it is made up of a myriad of ship operators, owners, managers, charterers all contributing to providing a network of routes carried out by a variety of ships designed for different albeit similar purposes.

All this ferry activity involves conventional ferry tonnage, 'ro-pax', where the vessel's primary design is to carry more freight capacity rather than passengers. This is in some cases though, is in complete variance to the fast ferry craft where they carry many more passengers and charging a premium.

In reporting the ferry scene, we examine the constantly changing trends of this sector, as rival ferry operators are competing in an intensive environment, battling out for market share following the fallout of the economic crisis. All this has consequences some immediately felt, while at times, the effects can be drawn out over time, leading to the expense of others, through reduced competition or takeover or even face complete removal from the marketplace, as witnessed in recent years.

Arising from these challenging times, there are of course winners and losers, as exemplified in the trend to run high-speed ferry craft only during the peak-season summer months and on shorter distance routes. In addition, where fastcraft had once dominated the ferry scene, during the heady days from the mid-90's onwards, they have been replaced by recent newcomers in the form of the 'fast ferry' and with increased levels of luxury, yet seeming to form as a cost-effective alternative.

Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!